Goku and the Olympians
by Doodleboy565
Summary: After the defeat of Kid Buu, Goku was unable to prevent Chi-Chi from dying due to an unknown illness. Feeling lost and empty inside, Goku is inadvertently transported to an alternate universe by Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and his inter-dimensional admirer. Stuck in a world he is unfamiliar with, Goku must learn to let go of his wife and survive gods who want him gone.
1. Divine Intervention

Goku and the Olympians

Chapter 1: Divine Intervention

The world was marginally in a state of calm after the destruction of Kid Buu. With everyone on Earth being brought back to life by the Dragon Balls, there were no such planetary threats needed to be dealt with by the Z Fighters and life simply went back to being as normal as it will ever be. However, the adult Saiyan warrior responsible for said peace felt somewhat **empty** inside for a multitude of reasons. One being the untimely death of his wife and childhood sweetheart, Chi-Chi.

"_Chi-Chi…_" Goku depressively recalled as he sat on the wooden roof of his humble abode, gazing at Mt. Paozu's surrounding horizon. Even though Goku only married the Ox Princess because of a promise he accidently made as a naïve 12-year-old, it still seemed like a part of him was forcefully torn apart before his very eyes. He couldn't eat right, sleep properly, or even do the most important thing in his entire career as a martial artist: fight! Sure, he was infuriated by both of Krillin's deaths, but that was only because he had the power to prevent those situations from happening. Deep down, he knew that his best friend would be wished back sooner or later. Chi-Chi, on the other hand, died from an undisclosed illness he couldn't see coming or have any sort of control over. The mother of his children was truly gone for good and it broke him in ways he didn't think were humanly possible for a dense musclehead like him.

"I…I wish I could have been there for you, Chi. I'm sorry I didn't realize that before…before…" Goku muttered regretfully, cutting himself off as a misty tear streaked down his cheek. He rubbed his eyes before more droplets of liquid could fall and lightly elevated from the house's rooftop. As he rose higher up in flight, the adult student of Master Roshi gazed down at his adoptive grandfather's shrine. Goku smiled lightly at the memories it represented, thinking back to the first time he met Bulma and how their search for the Dragon Balls inadvertently led to his introduction to Chi-Chi. Not wanting to dwell on the past, Goku sighed heavily and placed two fingers on the bridge of his nose in preparation for Instant Transmission.

"I need someone to talk to. Maybe King Kai will have some advice." Goku whispered tiredly, hoping to get his mind off of Chi-Chi for just a short while. With that thought, he closed in on the Lord of Worlds' ki signature and swiftly vanished into nothingness.

* * *

Wanting to give his father some much-needed space, Goten was put under the care of the newly married Gohan and Videl until further notice. All three of them were invited to West City's Capsule Corps. in order to discuss the aforementioned elephant in the room and figure out a way for Goku to properly cope with his wife's death. Mostly all of the Z-Fighters were summoned there by the unarguable blue-haired behemoth that was Bulma, much to Vegeta and Piccolo's immense chagrin. They situated themselves around the dining area, only a few of them having the luxury of sitting down at the kitchen table. Nearby, Goten, the splitting image of Goku's younger self, sparred with Trunks in their Super Saiyan forms while the daughter of Krillin and Android 18 happily watched.

"So, how's Goku holding up?" Bulma sympathetically asked the half-Saiyan scholar whilst resting both hands on her lap. Gohan took off his wide-rimmed glasses and set them down on the table, brushing his spiked black hair uneasily.

"Not good. Goten said he hasn't eaten a decent meal in weeks." Gohan sighed morosely. A theoretical pin dropped throughout the room as the world's greatest fighters audibly gasped in absolute terror. Vegeta, leaning on the furthest wall with his arms crossed, growled angrily at this unfortunate news.

"Did I hear that right?! _Goku_ hasn't been eating?!" Krillin gulped in disbelief, his skin noticeably paling.

"Are you sure Buu didn't destroy the world?!" Yamcha lightly joked in reactionary horror of this odd occurrence. Vegeta, his temper far passed its boiling point, rose his energy to drown out the mindless ramblings of everyone else and slammed a gloved fist against the wall. The purveying crowd immediately silenced in shock.

"Shut up, you damn idiots! Don't you realize what this means?!" Vegeta chastised the two oldest sparring partners of Goku with narrowed black eyes. Krillin, Yamcha, and the others, expecting the hot-headed Saiyan prince's agitation, glared back with raised eyebrows.

"We Saiyans are reliant on food as an energy source. If Kakarot continues to be hung up on this Earth woman and refuses to eat, his battle power could descend exponentially!" Vegeta yelled furiously, not wanting to see his rival lose his inherited lust for combat.

"That woman was our friend and their mother! Don't you care at all about that and how her death affected Goku?!" Bulma snapped at her impossible husband, gesturing to the both equally irritated Gohan being held back by Videl and Goten fighting outside. Vegeta scowls at Bulma, but his eyes noticeably soften in what could vaguely be interpreted as understanding.

"I know it means a lot to Kakarot. I'm just saying that, with the way he is now, he'll be completely useless against a threat even greater than Buu ever was. For the sake of the Earth, do you really want that to happen?" Vegeta seriously justified his concerns over Goku's fighting prowess above anything else. Bulma, relieved by his seemingly unselfish intentions, nods and turns her attention to the now pondering Z Fighters.

"What can we do then?" Tien Shinhan queried in curiosity, the pupil of his third eye darting from left to right for any sort of answer. Piccolo, noting the sudden disappearance of Goku's energy, closes his eyes and gets a good idea of where the usually fun-loving Saiyan adult went to.

"He seems to be on King Kai's planet right now. Maybe we should just leave Goku alone until he comes to us." Piccolo suggested gruffly, wanting to get back to his meditation on the Lookout. Gohan was about to object, but Videl interrupted him with a tug at his suit jacket, peering at her husband with melancholic sapphire eyes.

"You're right, Piccolo. We'll give Dad some time." A defeated Gohan exclaimed dolefully. With that, each Z Fighter departed from Capsule Corps. with a hint of disappointment. Once everyone left, Bulma went back to designing some more advanced variations of capsules while Vegeta stood behind and looked through the kitchen's glass window.

"_Get well soon, Kakarot…_" Vegeta mentally sent his regards before storming off to spar in the Gravity Chamber as he usually did on a daily basis.

* * *

_In another dimension…_

The majesty of Mount Olympus was truly a spectacle far beyond the standards of any mortal. Seemingly residing on another plane of existence, said "mountain" was a natural paradise free of pollution and all forms of technology. It was a massive city comprised of 12 towering palaces, each designed for a specific Greek god or goddess. Along these ancient temples, mythical creatures such as nymphs and satyrs happily ran miscellaneous errands, enjoying the literal heaven they were lucky to call home. The peak of Olympus housed an Acropolis-esc structure where each Olympian met to discuss circumstances related to their half-breed children and other global phenomena. One such palace was brimming with life as night surrounded the entire collection of godly domains. This particular throne room was painted a mix of gold and bright pink with detailed heart designs plastered along its walls.

"Oh yes!" screamed a semi-sultry voice in positive elation. An extremely gorgeous woman in what seemed to be her early 20's was lying on top of a massive king-sized bed with golden decorations and pinkish purple covers. Her eyes and hair seemed to shapeshift into different colors, changing appearance based on the girl's mood and personal preference. This was Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, beauty, passion, pleasure, and a bunch of other more explicit stuff that doesn't need to be mentioned.

"He's so amazing!" Aphrodite praised affectionately, slightly adjusting the position of her bubble gum lingerie. She seems to have her eyes glued onto a pseudo-television screen of some sort, floating in midair with the likeness of a rainbow. Playing on this illusionary screen were repeats of Goku's greatest fights, starting from his confrontation with Vegeta to the most recent decimation of Kid Buu. The romance deity's appearance switches to match the likeness of a Super Saiyan, sporting long blonde hair and dazzling green irises.

"Pause it right there!" Aphrodite airily commanded the interdimensional Iris Message. The projected anomaly accepts this request and stops abruptly on the intense glare Goku gave Lord Frieza when he first transformed into the Super Saiyan. Said immortal goddess practically swoons in admiration, crawling closer to the screen, so she could caress Goku's face.

"Oh, my sweet, Goku! If only you weren't an entire dimension away, I would have you all to myself. So innocent, yet so brave. So strong, yet so…so…" Aphrodite gushed helplessly, her cheeks starting to turn a bright red just imagining the muscular, battle-hardened body that could put Ares' to shame.

"…Handsome!" exclaimed Aphrodite, licking her lips in pure lust. For ages, the love goddess has been jumping from romantic partner to romantic partner without a care in the world. Despite being married to Hephaestus, she always cheated on the deformed blacksmith with Ares for physical attractiveness alone. However, the feelings projected at the sight of this childish Saiyan Warrior were much different than before. Mostly because she literally couldn't have him without jeopardizing the entire universe's safety, but also because of his selflessness. This Goku fought for the safety of his friends and personal improvement while her war god of a lover caused absolute destruction for kicks. Aphrodite always got what she wanted and it was absolutely no fair that such an impressive specimen could not be claimed by her.

"I must have him! He must know what it _really_ feels like to love someone and to have that love reciprocated!" Aphrodite determinedly pronounced, subconsciously growling at the mere thought of her object of desire's sorry excuse for a "wife". She was a love goddess, so jealously could be quite commonplace at this point in time. Aphrodite, blowing a kiss at the still image of Goku, deactivated the Iris Message and sent it back to her nearby fountain. The container of water was filled to the brim with Golden Drachma, golden coins that can be sent as tribute to Iris, the rainbow goddess, herself. Making sure that none of the other Olympians woke up to her shuffling, Aphrodite changed her attire to that of an expensive fur coat and tip-toed out of the room.

"Hopefully this works. I can no longer stand to be away from my Saiyan warrior." Aphrodite mumbled to herself in desperation as she stood in front of a massive elevator door. This elevator serves as a teleportation mechanism that connects the mortal world to its godly counterpart using the Empire State Building in New York City. Since Mount Olympus is technically a pocket dimension of its own, the goddess of love guessed that any other world could be accessed in a similar way, even the Dragon Ball one. She entered the enclosed space and pressed the button marked as Floor 1, causing her to rocket straight down to the Empire State Building's main lobby. There, she set her sights on Olympus's head security guard as she exited out.

"L-lady Aphrodite? W-what brings you here?" The guard recognized in surprise, checking the time on his watch nervously. Aphrodite played up her sensuality in order to coerce the disguised creature into helping out, batting her eyelashes and showing a bit of cleavage.

"Well, I was wondering if I could connect with a neighboring dimension somehow. Maybe, send a teensy-weensy little portal?" Aphrodite asked innocently, getting into the security guard's personal space more than he would have liked.

"B-but that would go against Lord Zeus's direct orders! Interacting with another universe could spell disaster for—" The frazzled security attempted to object, his uniform leaking with sweat.

"Please?" Aphrodite breathlessly pleaded, pressing her breasts against the man's own chest area. In order to make her stop, the guard shakily pulled a pair of keys out of his coat pocket and walked over to the otherworldly elevator's command board.

"I'm so getting fried for this…" whimpered the Security Guard, adjusting the functions of each button all the way up to Floor 600, or Mount Olympus itself.

"Ok, if you have a basic idea of where you want this elevator to go to, just hold down the 600th and 1st buttons down at the same time. You've only got one shot, so make this quick." The impatient security guard explained in annoyance. Aphrodite stroked the man's chin in thanks, causing a jolt of electricity to surge through his body.

"This is my gift to you, dearest one. Use it well." Aphrodite whispered lovingly, holding down the two buttons as instructed and then taking a step back to view the results. The elevator shook to life with energy, blasting upward in a flash of blinding white light. As it flew out of reach, the elevator fazed out of existence and left behind an exact copy for Aphrodite to get back home in.

"No disrespect, milady, but please leave and pretend this never happened." The security guard politely lambasted, fearing the wrath of Zeus and what he might to do to him if this little incursion was found out.

"Thanks for the help." Aphrodite chirped absentmindedly, butterflies fluttering in her stomach as she boarded the next elevator to her home of Mount Olympus. Now, all the love goddess had to do was get some rest and wait for her Saiyan to appear.

* * *

_King Kai's Planet_

King Kai was not the right person to call for when dealing with the sudden passing of a loved one. While he was in fact dead due to Goku's own actions during the Cell Games, that didn't exactly make him an expert on the subject. So, in order to help out his former student, the blue-skinned humanoid with antennae drove around on his planet in a red Chevrolet Bel Air from 1957. Seated in the back of this vehicle were a levitating cricket named Gregory and Bubbles, King Kai's pet monkey. However, due to the Saiyan fragile emotional state, conversation was getting nowhere real fast.

"Have you tried anything to get your mind off of her?" King Kai asked monotonously, resting a fist on his chin in boredom as he drove.

"No. Eating just makes me think of her cooking and fighting just reminds me of her yelling." Goku stated pathetically, heavily slumping his shoulders. King Kai tightly gripped the steering wheel, starting to lose any sense of patience he had left.

"THEN WHY DID YOU COME HERE FOR?!" King Kai comically screeched in bafflement at Goku's lack of thinking. The Saiyan rubbed his ears soothingly and shrugged.

"It was the first place I could think of! Your planet keeps me calm!" Goku unsurely revealed. King Kai exhaled tiredly and drove on the stone road of his home at a much steadier pace.

"Goku, I don't know the first thing about romance. I'm a Kai of the North Galaxy for Pete's sake, but I think it's best if you tried to find someone new." King Kai suggested empathetically, wanting to help out Goku the best way he can.

"Find someone? To fight?" Goku cluelessly pondered, trying to figure out what the Kaiosama was implying. Bubble, Gregory, and King Kai all simultaneously face palm at Goku's ever-present stupidity.

"No, you buffoon! Someone to love, maybe even marry! Like you did with Chi-Chi!" King Kai slowly elaborated, making sure he hammered into the marital artist's system.

"Oh…Where would I start though? I don't think anyone would really be that interested in me." Goku doubtfully responded, inspecting his muscles and orange Gi. King Kai gave him a funny look and then patted his soldier comfortingly.

"It'll take some time, Goku! Who knows? Maybe a potential sign could appear right in front of you—" King Kai philosophical advice was interrupted by a giant elevator teleporting smack-dab in the center of the grassy home world.

"GYAAHHHH!" All four passengers screamed fearfully as the red Bel Air was about to drive right into the mysterious contraption. Goku thought fast and frantically placed two fingers on his forehead.

"GRAB MY SHOULDERS!" Goku shrieked violently to his trio of friends. King Kai, Bubbles, and Gregory hung on for dear life as the fully grown Saiyan teleported out of the doomed vehicle. Once they were away from the wreckage, King Kai's car smashed into the larger-than-usual elevator in a fiery explosion. Its hood was completely caved in while smoke billowed out of the fractured engine.

"MY BABY!" King Kai sobbed uncontrollably, darting from place to place in full inspection of the damages. While the black robed bug-man groveled over his heavily dismantled property, Goku's attention was drawn to the elevator that caused this mess in the first place. He noted that, due to the collision, a large dent was left in its front with a few sparks of static electricity flying outward.

"Hey, King Kai! What is this?" Goku asked curiously, intrigued by the bronze design of a skyscraper engraved in its doors. King Kai, already having an extensive knowledge of the omniverse and omniverse's beyond their own, looked up to see Goku attempting to touch the foreign elevation-based machine.

"Goku, don't touch it!" King Kai bellowed in warning. His cries were heard too late as Goku placed a hand on the metal exterior, causing a dazzling beam of energy to surround his entire body in direct response.

"King Kai, w-what's going on?! Where am I—" In mere seconds, Goku and the elevator to Mount Olympus disappeared in a bright flash without any sort of trace. Aphrodite got what she wished for, but at what cost?

"Where did that elevator send Goku?" Gregory gulped nervously, trying not to wonder how the Z Fighters would react to this little catastrophe. King Kai, still tending to his "wounded" automobile, outstretches his antennae in search of the Saiyan's ki signature. Across different galaxies and universes, the results were sadly inconclusive.

"It's just as I've feared…" King Kai sorrowfully unveiled, resting each red-sleeved arm behind his back. He looked into the skies of his planet, grimacing.

"Feared what?" Gregory almost regretted to ask.

"That elevator or whatever it was sent Goku to another universe outside of my or any Kais' jurisdiction. It will be difficult to bring him back for a long, long, long time." King Kai devastatingly explained, adjusting the position of his circular spectacles. Gregory and Bubbles joined their master, all three of them praying that the one who defeated Majin Buu would return sooner than later.

* * *

***Hi, this is Doodleboy565! This is a weird story idea I came up with that pairs Goku with some of the Greek Goddesses. Later on in the story, he might interact with some Percy Jackson characters, but I'm not sure just yet. Please leave a review, favorite, and/or follow to tell me what you think. See ya later! :)**

***Also, updates will be interchangeable depending on how much time I spend on my first story, Avatar: the Legend of Goku. Check that out if you haven't already.**

**Update (4/27/2020): I made some minor grammatical and spelling edits. Chapter 8 should be posted sometime this week, so stay tuned. **


	2. Awkward Introductions

Chapter 2: Awkward Introductions

After foolishly touching the odd elevator, Goku felt as if he was being split apart sub-atomically in a haze of blinding light. His ears were ringing as a result of the structure's intense shaking, only making out the faint sound of electric sparks and his screams of discomfort. Thankfully, the more painful variant of teleportation ended as soon as it began, shutting down completely as it went back to where it originated from. Due to the accidental harm caused by King Kai's vehicle, almost all functions in the elevator immediately ceased activation and its aura of divine energy steadily dispersed.

"Oh my head…" Goku groaned to himself, his black eyes practically spinning around in dizziness. The low-class Saiyan shook his head a few times to calm himself down and walked away from the elevator's open doors. To his immense surprise and confusion, Goku seemed to be in a completely different location from where he was previously.

"That's weird. Wasn't I with King Kai just a second ago?" Goku pondered while gently scratching his head of obsidian spiked hair. His brain starting to hurt from just thinking about this unintentional predicament, Goku perused the confines of what seemed to be a hotel lobby in search of help.

"Is there a problem, sir?" A middle-aged woman sitting at the front desk politely asked the incredibly lost martial artist. Relieved by the presence of another person, Goku almost sprinted up to the counter in eagerness.

"Um, yeah. Sorry to bother you, miss, but do you know where I am?" Goku timidly inquired with a raised eyebrow. Weirded out by this oddly dressed stranger's question, the woman cautiously scanned his chiseled body from head-to-toe before coming up with a proper response.

"Well, you're in the Empire State Building. More specifically, New York City, the largest city in the ol' US of A." The portly lobbyist informed with a slight hint of suspicion. Goku swallows a building lump in his throat, having no idea what the lady was talking about.

"_This is bad. I've never even heard of those places before. Bulma hasn't even talked about them and she knows everything!_" Goku panicked within his distracted mind, getting more and more frazzled by the second. The woman, noticing Goku's unnerved state of being, snaps her fingers a few times to regain his attention.

"Are you alright?" The lady hesitantly pried, leaning a bit closer from her rolling chair. Goku, needing to find some place where he could focus, shared a weak smile of faux gratitude.

"N-no I'm good. Thanks for the help, ma'am." Goku exclaimed nervously, shakily bowing for good measure. He then bolted through the skyscraper's glass doors without a second thought to see what was outside. The desk attendant shakily waved goodbye for a few moments before squinting her lashed eyelids in distrust. She dialed an extensive combination of numbers on her phone and called a mysterious number.

"It's me. Send the information I'm telling you to Lord Zeus immediately. We might have a **big** problem on our hands." The lady's voice ever so slightly deepened in volume, becoming scratchier than what it was previously. Things were about to get worse for the combat-enthused Saiyan in more ways than he could possibly imagine.

* * *

_Back on Mount Olympus…_

The morning sun shined down upon Mount Olympus, glistening to life as Apollo parked it high in the sky using his enchanted chariot. Waking up from her most recent period of beauty sleep, Aphrodite cutely yawned as she outstretched her lithe frame. The forever youthful goddess struggled to suppress a high-pitched squeal of excitement threatening to break out from her smiling lips as she rose.

"Today's the day! I need to see if my plan worked out." Aphrodite exhaled breathlessly as she got out of bed and began strutting up to her personal bathroom. She sat down on a luxurious stool cushion and gazed into a sizable glass mirror, brushing her tousled hairdo in an up-and-down motion.

"Show me Son Goku's current location." The daughter of Ouranos commanded anticipatedly. The mirror glowed ominously and shifted from Aphrodite's reflection to said Saiyan warrior walking out of the Empire State Building like a lost puppy. Not really paying attention to the woman's phone call once Goku left, Aphrodite places a hand over her heart in pure joy.

"Yes, yes, yes, yes…YES!" Aphrodite whoops delightfully and bounces repeatedly in place. Absolutely delighted by the promising results of her latest love scheme, the seductive deity began applying eye shadow and red lipstick. Wanting to further enhance her already notorious sex appeal for Goku specifically, Aphrodite indecisively shifts through various hair styles, outfits, and other physical features.

"No, no, no…Ah this will do!" Aphrodite affirmatively exclaimed after a fourth and final change in appearance. She currently sported long, wavy black hair almost as dark as Goku's with a blue dress to match. Her eyes were a bright sea green, contrasting nicely with the applied rouge lip-balm. Wanting to further emphasize her semi-hourglass figure, Aphrodite created a skirt that stopped near the knee area and wore high-heeled stilettos of a similar color.

"Hmmmm…He'll be _begging_ for me in no time!" Aphrodite slyly predicted while striking a provocative pose in the mirror. Giving one last leering gaze at her reflection, the practitioner of romance not-so-subtly swayed her hips back and forth as she gathered a purse filled with miscellaneous beauty products. Having everything she could possibly need for the proposed "date", Aphrodite caressed her hair backward and marched toward the temple entrance with exuded confidence.

"Don't worry, Goku. Your days of suffering will be over soon. I promise." Aphrodite passionately whispered to herself, emerald eyes gleaming with care and honesty. She then walked into Mount Olympus's central elevator once more and gently pushed the 1st floor button. With that, she made her way to catch the aforementioned fish-out-of-water Goku before he did something stupid by accident.

* * *

_Outside of the Empire State Building…_

Wanting to get a better idea of what exactly this strange world was like, a terrified Goku exited out of the 88-year-old national monument to discover New York's usual series of events on full display. Cars of differing makes and models were positioned one after the other in a mass traffic jam, some infuriated drivers leaning out of their windows to cuss out the people in front them for either moving too slow or cutting them off. Hundreds upon thousands of people also walked amongst each other on the city's concrete sidewalks, some performing daily errands while others went off to work. Buildings of heavily distinct functions rested alongside each pathway with hot dog vendors selling food in close proximity. Pigeons also flew around, scouring the urban streets in search of table scraps for their most recent meal. Goku, not used to the widespread cacophony of noise pollution, seethed irritably and scanned the premises.

"Well, at least it's sort of like West City. Just with less hovercrafts and animal people." Goku resigned comfortably, partially unwound by the fact that this world was somewhat similar to his own. He blew out a breath of frustration and slumped down on a wooden bench near the infamous skyscrapers' entrance.

"What did I get myself into?" Goku whispered in partial self-deprecation, resting a hand on his cheek in thought. As he sat down in deep contemplation, passers-by spared looks of puzzlement at the tall man wearing nothing, but a bright orange martial arts gi. A majority of them mockingly snickered at Goku's ridiculous get-up while others, mostly female in gender, were intently distracted by the Saiyan's large biceps and 100% chiseled frame. Goku was too preoccupied with his own issues to really notice any such comments.

"I wish I knew where to go. That way, I could get a general explanation of what that "elevator" exactly was." Goku whined childishly with a small pout of annoyance. His antics sparked the attention of four college-age girls, each of them giggling amusingly at Goku's frustration and visually appealing likeness.

"Uh, hi. Is there something funny about me?" Goku politely chimed in with a raised eyebrow and cross of his arms. The entire group of young women, all carrying smartphones of identical branding and advancement, half-lidded their eyes and examined Goku like a hunk of fresh meat. The student of Master Roshi gulped nervously and felt just a tiny bit intimidated by this behavior.

"Y-you…y-you, like, do karate, right?" One of the girls timidly asked with a point at his blue belt and weighted wristbands, her entire face becoming red enough to resemble an oversized tomato. Goku curiously looked down at his iconic combat gi in bewilderment.

"Well, more so all forms of martial arts. Why do you ask?" Goku cluelessly wondered in continual speculation. Another girl with red curly hair acted a bit bolder by brushing a finger down Goku's pectoral muscles.

"Could you show us some moves, cutie? It would make me and my friends _really_ happy if you did." The redhead flirtatiously purred, leaning closer, so her pink lips could almost touch Goku's. Undeterred by what the deceased Chi-Chi would most likely lambast as a no-good "hussy", Goku adjusted his head the other way in order to cease their compromising position.

"S-sure. I don't see why not." Goku shrugged apprehensively, not seeing it as that much of a hindrance to his journey back home since he had no clue where to start. The redhead winked at him in gratitude and rejoined her posse of excited gal pals. Goku slowly got up from his seat and performed some pre-workout stretches such as toe touches, arm spins, etc. Just seeing the Saiyan prodigy perform small exercises was enough to cause each girl to slightly drool and bite their bottom lips in yearning.

"_Better hold off on the ki usage til' it's completely necessary…_" Goku mentally affirmed, not wanting to draw any unwanted attention in foreign territory. He then bent both knees slightly and lifted up his left arm, arching two fingers forward. To top off Goku's trademark fighting stance, he clenched his right fist and positioned it near the hip area, eyes narrowed with determination. Motionless for a second or two, Goku roars to life by throwing ferocious kicks and punches at the air. Each attack is practically invisible to the naked eye, almost reaching speeds exceeding the speed of sound. The observing girls look at Goku's training routine in star-struck amazement, recording video after video of the entertaining spectacle on their mobile devices. During this "requested" demonstration, Aphrodite, in all of her breathtaking glory, waltzes out of the Empire State Building and observes Goku's every move amorously.

"_He's even more impressive up close." _Aphrodite remarked in pure adoration, adjusting her blue sunhat to get a better look. However, what she didn't expect to see were the four bimbos practically undressing _her_ Goku within each of their sex-crazed subconscious. Being the goddess of love, she, much to her disgust, could see every single detail of their dirty thoughts on full display!

"_They think they can compete with me?! Ha! Watch and learn, wenches._" Aphrodite scoffed mentally, brushing some bangs away from her forehead. As she approached ever closer, Goku finished his martial arts presentation with a nearly identical recreation of the pose he adopted in his first fight against Vegeta. The girls applauded uproariously and began submitting tweets about their new "boyfriend" and his insane black-belt level fighting abilities. Goku scratched the back of his head embarrassingly, sporting a hesitant toothy grin of gratitude. The redhead from before sauntered over to Goku like a lioness about to pounce on her prey and rested two manicured hands on his shoulders.

"That was absolutely_ stunning_, handsome! What's your name?" The woman pried intently with a mischievous tilt of her head. The other girls glared at their friend enviously, wanting to make a move on Goku as well.

"Um, it's Goku. Son Goku." Goku straightforwardly replied, wanting to get out of this conversation more and more by the second. Aphrodite, glaring daggers at the red-haired vixen, picked up the pace in stride and made preparations to intervene.

"Well, _Goku_. How would you like to make use of those moves and—" The redhead closed in on Goku's mouth with every single word, confusing the innocent protector of Earth to no end.

"There you are! I was looking all over for you, sweetheart!" Aphrodite cried out in played up concern. Her shout of joy garnered the attention of Goku and all four girls, foiling the redhead's seductive plans as intended.

"_Who is that?_" Goku thought distractedly at the sight of this mysterious woman who claimed to know who he was. She gracefully sashayed over to him and wrapped one of her arms around his right one, making sure to securely trap it in between both breasts. Aphrodite then rested her head on his shoulder, nuzzling as clumps of black hair fell onto it.

"Excuse me! Who are you?!" The redhead growled angrily at Aphrodite's rude interruption. The Olympian goddess smugly snorted at the girl's outrage and rolled her eyes mockingly.

"I'm his _girlfriend_, obviously! Right, hon?" Aphrodite stated defiantly, peering into Goku's deep obsidian orbs for confirmation. Before Goku could object, something about the lady's tug on his arm brought back memories to when he first married Chi-Chi at the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai so many years ago. The fact it was the exact same pose brought a sense of calm he hadn't experienced since the last time his wife was seen alive.

"Yeah…What she said!" Goku stammered in disingenuous agreement with a thumbs up. Aphrodite, overjoyed by Goku's recognition of her as his girlfriend, gasped heavily and squeezed Goku's arm even tighter. The redhead and her three acquaintances' moods soured into that of immense jealousy, putting more pressure on their already fragile phones.

"You heard the man! Now, would you be so kind and…" Aphrodite sweetly requested with a close-eyed smile of kindness. Instantaneously, her tone of voice darkened into one of aggravation and her eyes slightly lit up with just a sliver of godly power. Goku's eyes widened at the abrupt elevation of power, growing more on-edge as to what this person's true identity was.

"GET LOST!" Aphrodite bellowed lowly with rage, her designer sunglasses shining with pink light. The girls, taking note of the goddess' mood swing as opposed to her divine visage, clicked their tongues in disappointment and simultaneously spared one last longing glance at Goku. After they left with shattered egos, Aphrodite continued to relish in the moment and stroke her face against Goku's arm.

"You can let me go now, miss." Goku reminded the captivated Aphrodite as she lovingly squeezed his forearms. At the sound of his voice, the love goddess was brought back to reality and whined in disappointment, uncoiling Goku from her romantic death grip for just a short while.

"Soooooo who and what exactly are you? Your energy spiked up just a second ago when you yelled at those girls." Goku puzzlingly asked with a hint of seriousness. Aphrodite, shocked that the Saiyan could somehow see through the Mist when other mortals could not, took off her glasses and fidgetingly clasped them in her red-nailed hands.

"I am known as Aphrodite, a Greek goddess and the one who sent you here." Aphrodite introduced hesitantly while rubbing her arm in nervousness. Goku's mouth was left agape at this news, both relieved that he wouldn't be completely sidetracked anymore and curious to know the reason for why she sent him here in the first place.

"Goddess? Greek? YOU SENT ME HERE?!" Goku rapid-fired questions left and right in hyperactive succession. Wanting to calm Goku down before any misunderstandings could come about, Aphrodite shook her hands in pleading objection.

"Don't get the wrong idea, Goku. I didn't do this to mess with you!" Aphrodite assured the uncertain Saiyan, looking at him with empathetic green eyes.

"Then what was the reason?" Goku raised pleadingly, his temperament steadily reaching a new high. Aphrodite glanced around at the Empire State Building before doing a 360 scan of the entire city's closest streets, making sure no one was listening in.

"Look, I'll explain everything to you if…" Aphrodite's cheeks turned prominently rosier and her green eyes grew half-lidded, not baring to look face-to-face at the Saiyan of her dreams.

"If?" Goku continued, gesturing for her to continue with a spin of his wrist.

"…if you agree to join me for lunch. What do you say?" Aphrodite offered hopefully, knowing how much Goku loves food over anything else in his life, aside from fighting. Goku scratches his chin in thought before being interrupted by the high-pitched squeal of a growling stomach in desperate need of sustenance. Aphrodite places a hand over her mouth in shock while an embarrassed Goku blushes faintly, sniggering softly.

"Sure, why not? I haven't been able to eat properly since…" Goku's laughs are halted by another sudden reminder of Chi-Chi's permanent absence in his life, causing him to frown considerably. Aphrodite also lours at this thought, but for entirely different and arguably more selfish reasons.

"_He still misses that harpy, huh? This might be more of a problem than I anticipated._" Aphrodite grimaced in minor complaint, looking at her body once more for a small confidence boost. Not seeking to waste any more time, Aphrodite abruptly grabs Goku's hand and drags him around in search of the closest restaurant.

"Come on, Goku! I'll show you what the Big Apple has to offer!" Aphrodite excitedly promised, putting her sunglasses back on in determination to singlehandedly win Goku's heart. Unfamiliar with the terminology of Aphrodite's phrase, Goku's eyes widen in hunger-induced curiosity.

"The Big Apple?! Is it good enough to eat?" Goku innocently inquired, thinking of a literal 50-foot-tall version of the fruit. Aphrodite harmoniously guffawed at Goku's cluelessness as the two proceeded onward to explore the city streets of Manhattan. When the Saiyan wasn't looking, Aphrodite took initiative and interlocked her fingers with his.

* * *

***Hi! Thanks to everyone who favorited, followed, and reviewed this story! I really appreciate it! New chapters might take a bit longer to be posted, but it all depends on which of my stories I feel is in need of updating. To new readers, please leave a favorite, follow, and/or review to tell me what you think. See you later! :)**


	3. Big Apple, Big Problems

Chapter 3: Big Apple, Big Problems

Aphrodite led Goku to the streets of Broadway in search of a specific eatery that she knew the Saiyan would be well-acquainted with fairly fast. Located off the coast of New York's very own Hudson River, a small diner known as Tom's Restaurant stood with red neon letters presenting its namesake. Nothing about the location seemed particular special to Goku, but he didn't bother to say anything since any type of food was acceptable by his standards. However, what did bother him was the fact that Aphrodite, a woman he barely even knew, was latching onto his hand like a lifeline.

"I don't think you need to drag me around anymore. I can walk just fine." Goku reminded the goddess in minor irritation, his arm starting to ache from the constant pulling. Aphrodite darted her eyes in line with his as she opened the door, smirking amusedly.

"We're already here, so does it really matter? Besides, I _like_ holding your hand." Aphrodite stated playfully, pulling down her shades to give him a knowing wink. Goku, surprisingly embarrassed, looked in the opposite direction and retched his fingers free anyways. Aphrodite pouted childishly at this loss of physical contact and gracefully sat down in one of the diner's many booths. Goku did the same and plopped himself down onto the seat facing hers, cautiously perusing what Tom's Restaurant had to offer in terms of basic hospitality.

"I usually don't go to restaurants like…well, _this_, but I figured it would be a nice, quick place to talk and eat without delay." Aphrodite explained considerately, gesturing to the entire facility as if it was a personal insult to her beauty-centric, healthy lifestyle. A waitress walked towards the two wearing a black work apron and white long-sleeved shirt. She gave somewhat of a stink eye at Goku's inappropriate entire, but regained her professionalism in the next moment.

"Hi, welcome to Tom's Restaurant. Would you folks like something to drink first or do you already have an idea of what to order?" The waitress asked politely, bringing out a pad of paper to write down their orders if need be. Goku distractedly scanned the entire menu's list of meals and narrowed his eyes as if he was in a deep state of concentration. While the Saiyan thought things through, Aphrodite kindly smiled and handed back hers.

"I'll just have the Greek Salad. Want to keep my figure, y'know?" Aphrodite informed matter-of-factly, both hands motioning to her fit stomach and hips. Goku, a theoretical lightbulb going off in his head, nodded affirmatively and set it on the table.

"Have you decided?" The waitress inquired patiently, already jotting down Aphrodite's personal choice of foreign cuisine.

"Yep! I'll have the whole menu please!" Goku naively proclaimed in a much more upbeat tone. Upon this outrageous request, the waitress comedically face-faults in disbelief while Aphrodite sweat-drops. Various pieces of silverware and fine china unceremoniously crash to the ground upon Goku's request being heard by the diner's poor cooks.

"C-could you run that back to me one more time, sir?" The waitress demanded in a listless state of denial, struggling to get back up from her reactionary fall.

"Well, all of the food seemed so good that I couldn't imagine choosing just one of them. So, then I thought, why not get everything? Seems like a win-win to me!" Goku obliviously elaborated his foolhardy thought process, not taking into account how much this would cost to cook, eat, and pay for. The waitress, completely gobsmacked, slapped herself in the face a few times to see if she was dreaming before placing a hand on her sweaty forehead.

"C-coming right up…I'll be back to check on you…hopefully…" The waitress stammered in growing dismay, shakily marching back to the kitchen. Upon departure, muffled shouts of panic echoed off of the walls of Tom's Restaurant, each chef not entirely certain they had enough supplies to satisfy Goku's monstrous appetite. During this escalation of shared worries, Goku and Aphrodite awkwardly stared at each other, both hoping that the latter would start up some conversation.

"So, you're a goddess, huh?" Goku broke the silence with an attempt at easing his suspicions of the very woman who got him into this mess. Aphrodite took off her blue sunhat and set it aside, letting her artificially created black hair flow backward.

"Yes, the goddess of love and generally, anything else romance related. I and my fellow gods were originally worshipped by a people known as the Greeks thousands of years ago." Aphrodite answered truthfully with a cliff-notes summary of her and the other Olympians' basic origins.

"Huh, strange. You look around my age." Goku noted confusedly, adjusting his sitting position to inspect every corner of Aphrodite's practically flawless body. Both pleased by Goku's offhand compliment and unintentional examination, Aphrodite's face visibly flushed and she shyly started playing with the bangs of her hair.

"Those are the perks of immortality, darling! I will forever be as gorgeous as the very day I was born." Aphrodite boasted confidently, fondling the groomed streaks of her raven hair. Goku, tired of each answer leading to even more convoluted questions, decided to utilize a technique he hasn't done since the trip to Namek so many years prior.

"Stay still for a second." Goku cryptically ordered, softly resting a firm hand on Aphrodite's head. The love goddess squirmed a bit in discomfort, not expecting Goku to willingly get so close to her a second time.

"G-Goku, what are you…?" Aphrodite's discomforted question was unheard by the Z-Fighter as a large amount of memories and thoughts spread from her mind to his. Due to Krillin not having a lifespan nearly as big as Aphrodite's, Goku inwardly convulsed from the sudden intake of images being transported to his slightly infantile brain. He could see everything from Aphrodite being born in response to a mix of Ouranos' severed genitals (which actually happened) and excess seafoam to inadvertently causing the Trojan War by making Paris fall in love with the already married Helen of Troy. Goku, much to his shocked appalment, also saw Aphrodite forcibly married off to Hephaestus, Greek god of craftsmanship, and her constant affairs with other men thereafter, most prominently the war god Ares. Along with some glimpses of multiple demi-children residing in a heavily forested summer camp and Mount Olympus hovering over the Empire State Building he just walked out of, Goku finally gained more details about his forced teleportation from a glimpse at Aphrodite viewing many of his past fights on a materialized screen, even ones from as far back as the 21st Tenkaichi Budokai! Highly nerve-wracked from this display, Goku caught sight of him and Aphrodite doing something R-rated in her bed before jerking his palm away from the goddess's head in utter terror!

"Gyahhhh!" Goku screamed frightfully, almost hyperventilating from exhaustion and sensory overload. Other customers in the diner slightly turned their heads around in bewilderment, but went back to their own conversations from lack of interest. Aphrodite, now understanding what Goku just did from her repeated viewings of the Saiyan warrior's adventures, bites her bottom lip in fear of what he might discern from seeing such "questionable" circumstances.

"T-that last one…w-why were the two of us in bed doing—" Goku tentatively stuttered, eyes widened to full capacity. Before Goku could blindly blabber on about her darkest thoughts, Aphrodite's places a hand on Goku's mouth in desperation.

"N-nothing! I-I mean…n-nothing important for you to know about at least. Heh heh…" Aphrodite excused nervously, darting her shrunken green irises from left to right in embarrassment. Still clasping Goku's mouth shut, Aphrodite looked at him darkly in played up offense.

"Now, when I remove my hand, promise me that you will keep an open mind and ask one question at a time? Ok?" Aphrodite scolded the frantic Saiyan resolutely, almost pleading for him to not think differently of her for what was just witnessed. Goku nodded slowly in agreement, allowing for his speaking privileges to be given back.

"How much did you see?" Aphrodite sighed sadly, crossing her arms and legs in discomforted unrest. Goku crossed his arms as well and glared profusely at her in expectant elaboration.

"Enough to know that I'm not the first one you've been "interested" in. How much have _you _seen about _my_ life?" Goku hissed angrily, feeling violated by the fact that a person entire universes away from his own was practically **stalking** him for who knows how long.

"Y-you promised to keep an open mind!" Aphrodite whined hurtfully, disheartened (and, admittedly, a bit turned on) by Goku's stone-cold scowl. The other customers, waiters, and chefs rigorously preparing Goku's "lunch" all awkwardly try to drown out the heated argument as best as humanly possible.

"I did and I will, but you promised to give me an explanation and so far, you haven't said anything of importance. So, please, tell me how you've been able to view my fights." Goku asked again in a much calmer tone, keeping his temper under control for safety purposes. Aphrodite sighed heavily and reached into her handbag, pulling out two drachma that could be converted into normal dollar bills via the Mist.

"On Olympus, we possess a form of communication called Iris Messages. With the help of Iris, the Greek rainbow goddess, she can project play-by-play images of any location based on the amount of gold coins users hand over as tribute. If given more than average, entire alternate dimensions can be accessed at will, including yours." Aphrodite informed in all seriousness, holding the ancient currency closer to Goku's eyes, so he could see it properly.

"But if you could examine any world you like, what made mine so special?" Goku inquired in specific concern, nonchalantly resting his hands on the table. Aphrodite's red lips twitched upward in a warm smile and she rested her own hand on one of Goku's affectionately.

"You." Aphrodite simply replied; her pure green eyes half-lidded in loving sincerity. Goku gulped down a building lump in his throat and glanced down at his securely held appendage confusedly. Aphrodite's smile grows even bigger as she closes her eyes in reminiscence, holding the other hand over a beating heart.

"Throughout the many generations I've been alive, I have never settled for one man over any other. Sure, there was Ares, but even he couldn't satisfy me enough to stop me from visiting the mortal world to build new relationships. However, no matter how many children I mothered or men I slept with, there was always something **missing** that I could not fathom. Something that made me feel **alone** even in the company of those who desired my beauty." Aphrodite listlessly admitted, a few longing tears falling from her closed eyelids. Goku felt as if he was in extremely unfamiliar territory with this conversation, but decided to continue listening. The distressed goddess tightened her hold on Goku's hand as she discussed further.

"As a goddess, I knew full well that other deities existed in some other dimension or plane of existence. So, since the men of my own birthplace could not properly represent what I was looking for, I resorted to Iris Messaging as a proverbial gateway to alternate universes of all sorts. After examining one ruled by Japanese shinobi and another dominated by superhuman pirates, I stumbled onto a "channel" depicting your fight with Prince Vegeta." Aphrodite recalled fondly, images of Goku's Kaio-ken technique playing on inside of her head. Goku himself also remembered said confrontation, noticeably smirking in response at how far he and his rival have come over the years.

"You were just so…so intriguing to me. You held strength far greater than the most powerful of Greek heroes, yet always took time to improve from before through training. Fighting was your greatest passion in life, yet you still battled against planetary threats for the safety of your friends and family. You sacrificed yourself twice for those specific reasons and it moved me to tears! This lack of ego and selfishness made you irresistible in ways I could have never possibly imagined! It singlehandedly reignited the passion that was lost years ago!" Aphrodite praised in unsuppressed admiration, moving her hand to softly cup Goku's cheek. Goku winced a bit, but looked more weirded out once she started rubbing that specific part of his face.

"That's why I needed to transport you here, my Goku. I couldn't bare to live any longer without meeting Earth's sworn protector and the Legendary Super Saiyan himself." Aphrodite sweetly cajoled, moving her face in close proximity with Goku's as she continued to caress. The possessive "my" stated right before his name brought back even more strained flashbacks of Chi Chi, so he ceased Aphrodite's caring rubs and placed her hand back down on the counter.

"I…I d-don't know what to think of this. It just seems too crazy to believe." Goku said in baffled speechlessness, nervously scratching the back of his head. Aphrodite looked hurt by the denial of her touch, but realized that Goku would need time to warm up to her and this foreign environment.

"Will that elevator from before be able to bring me back if I wish to leave?" Goku muttered in dire search of confirmation that he wasn't entirely stuck here. Aphrodite, not particularly familiar with the elevator's functionality as her "husband" would be, fondled her hair a bit and tried to think of a response that wouldn't seem pessimistic.

"It's hard to say. The Empire State Building elevator is a dimensional transporter, but traveling far distances can drain its energy considerably. Who knows how long it will take to fully recharge again?" Aphrodite gravely admitted, trying her best to keep Goku from losing too much hope. With this knowledge, a stressed Goku rested his head on the table and exhaled disappointedly.

"Well, I guess I'm stuck here." Goku grumbled irritably, a homesick expression already plastered on his moody visage. Aphrodite placed a hand on his shoulder sympathetically, inwardly making a mental note to check on the elevator's current condition when given the chance. Suddenly, the two's waitress huffs and puffs as she sprints out of the kitchen doors, looking completely deprived of all motivation.

"Y-your meals are ready…" The waitress suspired exhaustively, holding onto her knees, so she wouldn't be conked out unconscious. She dropped off Aphrodite's Greek Salad and then signaled for her fellow coworkers to file in. Upon command, each chef, dishwasher, and waiter/waitress marched out with entire mountains of plates. At the sight of multiple Deluxe Double Cheeseburgers, Turkey Wraps, and Hot Turkey Sandwiches, Goku jets up from his slumped over position and drools like an excited bulldog.

"_That_ helped cheer you up!" Aphrodite giggled happily as she took a delicate bite of her salad. Goku greedily rubbed his hands together and immediately dug into each meal, devouring everything on sight in a matter of seconds. The staff of Tom's Restaurant couldn't bare to watch the massacre take place and tried to turn away in disgust.

* * *

_Back in Aphrodite's Temple…_

Ares was not a very pleasant individual to say the least. Tending to wear a biker jacket reminiscent of the T-800's, the self-proclaimed god of war and violence sported a black crewcut with large sunglasses of the same color. These glasses concealed a pair of pupils that resembled atomic explosions instead of the usual irises, representing his lust for all forms of gratuitous violence. Underneath his jacket, Ares wore a bulletproof vest that could shapeshift into a large Imperial Gold shield at will when combat is possibly at hand. His face was also aligned with a wide array of battle scars that served as visual reminders of each conflict he has been involved in since birth. Marching up to his millennium-long girlfriend's doorstep in large combat boots, Ares clenched his teeth in growing ire.

"This is like the 5th damn time I've been stood up! Where the hell is she?!" Ares fumed to himself irritably with a metal baseball bat and hunting knife clasped tightly in his hands. He positioned himself close to the large door and loudly knocked on it about three teams, hoping for an answer after weeks of neglect. After a moment of prolonged, Ares resorted to what he is best known for and knocked the door down with a forceful swing of his bat. Once a proper entry point was created for him, Ares made himself at home and scavenged through her living quarters.

"Aphrodite? Are you here, babe?" Ares shouted out concernedly, unveiling the covers of her bed and poking his head into each of the godly domain's bathrooms. After he was about to move onto another portion of the temple, Ares caught sight of the mirror Aphrodite used to get herself ready every morning. Suspicious, the war god shuffled over to the desk and inspected her typical beauty products. He was surprised to see that Aphrodite already used them sometime earlier, locks of multi-colored hack coiled around the tufts of her brush.

"She left already?" Ares muttered to himself in growing disbelief, praying for the unfortunate meatsack that dared to touch his beloved sex goddess. He examined a used container of red lipstick before taking a good look at his reflection in the enchanted mirror. Sporting a thinking position, Ares looks from left to right in search of any unsuspecting bystanders before uttering a command.

"Show me where Aphrodite is." Ares ordered hesitantly, unsure if the artifact would work for anyone other than its owner. To his luck and relief, the mirror shifted appearance to display the current location of both Goku and Aphrodite, said Saiyan still relentlessly chowing down on his lunch plate after plate while the love goddess watches enjoyably. Ares, at the sight of Aphrodite attempting to make herself presentable for someone other than him, frowns deeply and morphs his baseball bat into a highly imposing spear surging to life with divine power.

"That **bastard**! Who does he think he is taking what was already mine to begin with?!" Ares seethed with unbridled rage, the mushroom clouds residing in each pupil growing to even greater volumes of devastating destruction. Not bearing to look at the mirror for another second, Ares notices the fountain near Aphrodite's bed is still brimming to life from prior usage. He reuses some drachma hidden in its waters and, to his growing annoyance, is greeted by projected images of Goku's home dimension and the events of Dragon Ball Z. With the sudden revelation that the orange-clad weirdo seemingly courting his woman was under a completely different jurisdiction of gods, Ares smirked evilly and polished the blade of his hunting knife. The fact that Aphrodite's new boy-toy could actually put up a decent fight made this whole debacle so much more **interesting**.

"Hmph, so this alien punk likes to fight, huh? Well, I'll give him a fight he'll never forget. That's for sure." Ares sneered anticipatedly, wanting to put this spiky-haired Bruce Lee wannabe back in his place…literally! He carelessly slashed away the Iris Message at breakneck speeds and then walked out the door. Afterwards, he went off to relay the news to his dad: Zeus, the Greek god of lightning, himself.

* * *

_Mount Olympus's Throne Room_

The Hall of the Gods was the largest room in all of Mount Olympus and Zeus's personal domain. Standing around the size of Madison Square Garden, all meetings dealing with both god and mortal affairs were held in this very section of the entire palace. Each of the 12 Olympians had separate thrones designed to their likeness that were aligned in a wide U shape. In the center of this hall, a massive hearth designed by the virgin goddess, Hestia, resided as a connecting source of warmth. Up above, a blue ceiling displayed the night sky with each of its respective constellations. Said aforementioned King of the Gods was seated in a platinum throne sporting small lightning bolt symbols, thinking of what he should do to prepare for the Titan Army's next attack and the impending rise of his vengeful father, Kronos.

"The winter solstice is upon us and I am uncertain what course of action would be best suited for stopping father's return. What to do…" Zeus discerningly mumbled the many scattered thoughts going on inside of his head, repetitiously stroking his long black beard. He wore a striped business suit with a red tie to match, accentuating the uniquely colored electric blue his eyes appeared to resemble. His hair was tousled along both shoulders, sparks of electricity haphazardly flying about in one instant and dissipating within the very next.

"Lord Zeus! Urgent news from the Empire State Building!" shouted a nymph in somewhat formal attire compared to what the rest of her species usually wore. Due to towering over said follower, Zeus rested a hand on his cheek in impatience and shrunk down to increase the chances of hearing her properly.

"What's wrong now? Is the elevator broken again?" Zeus groaned expectantly, wanting to keep himself from any possible distractions right afterwards. The nymph, fumbling over herself in the presence of such an imposing figure, carefully thought her choice of words before responding.

"Well, yes actually, but there's something else about the elevator that needs to be attended to at all costs." The nymph pleadingly assured the hot-headed sky god. Zeus massaged his tired eyes and pointed a massive finger at the nymph in warning.

"Out with it, girl! What is the issue here?!" Zeus demanded to know as his entire body was electrified with building sparks. The nymph's pretty face paled considerably in fear, but remained determined to spread the news.

"Phyllis saw a man with spiked black hair walk out of the elevator this morning. He wore an orange-blue martial arts uniform and claimed to not know where he was despite showing up in the Empire State Building itself. Does that seem kind of suspicious to you?" The nymph repeated the information given to her over the famous New York skyscraper's phoneline. Zeus, never seeing a person particularly dress like that in the thousands of years he was alive, narrowed his eyes in comprehension until a shock-ridden epiphany ruptured to life in his everlasting subconscious.

"Wait, if this oddly dressed man didn't know where he was, then…t-that could mean…" Zeus choked over his own words, believing the worst possible outcome was upon him.

"You'd be right, dad. He's from another world." Ares spat regretfully; his teeth jarred down in restrained bloodlust. Zeus and the nymph gasped in stunned dismay, realizing the reason for Goku's sudden arrival in the elevator.

"Ares…Do you know who caused this?!" Zeus grilled demandingly, each spark surrounding his throne erupting into high voltage bolts of lightning. Ares growled to himself in annoyance and pointed to the direction of his lover's temple.

"It was Aphrodite. She must have been looking for an interdimensional booty call and transported him here." Ares enviously elucidated, mentally making plans as to how he would torture Goku for this injustice. The nymph, predicting what was about to go down before it even happened, scurried away to spread word to other mythical creatures living on Olympus.

"Tell your mother to assemble the other gods and goddesses! We'll have to deal with Aphrodite when she comes back." Zeus ordered authoritatively, grabbing hold of his Master Bolt mid-conversation. Ares, about to do as his infuriated father instructed, was interrupted by the god of lightning one last time.

"Tell me, son. Do you know this…this **alien's** name?" Zeus glowered darkly, his pupils completely radiating with glowing blue electricity at this point. Ares turned around to look back at the youngest son of Kronos and leered scornfully.

"Son Goku." Ares exclaimed in pure hatred, already wanting to claim Goku as his next intended target. With that, a new meeting between the Olympian gods and goddesses was about to be arranged sooner than initially anticipated. It's focus? To decide between either sending Goku back home or, worse, eliminating him.

* * *

***Hi, Doodleboy565 again! Sorry if this chapter seemed a bit too short, but I thought it would be a good lead-in to the next chapter which will have a lot more content and descriptions. Artemis and her hunters might also be introduced, so that could be fun. So, expect future chapters to be longer than this one and the previous two. As always, leave a favorite, follow, and/or review to tell me what you think. See you soon! :)**


	4. Hunted

Chapter 4: Hunted

After Goku completely eviscerated every meal Tom's Restaurant had to offer in record timing, Aphrodite was sadly forced to pay the meter-long bill accumulated from said feast. Thankfully, due to a combination of the Mist's mystical properties and her godly status, she was able to pass off some drachma as multiple 100-dollar bills to the unsuspecting staff. Sure, her once full purse was rendered completely vacant as a result, but at least the two of them were able to leave the establishment marginally scot free. Well, except for receiving some resentful glares from customers who weren't able to satisfy their appetites due to an insufficient amount of supplies in the kitchen. By the time they actually walked through the diner's exit, Goku had a look of worry and confusion-laced guilt written on his face as he took note of the murderous stare-downs being directed towards him in particular.

"Erm…Sorry for not being able to pay for the food, Aphrodite. Sometimes I start thinking with my stomach instead of…you know." Goku regretfully apologized, rubbing his bottomless abdominal area for further emphasis. Aphrodite simply smiled at him understandably, not at all disappointed with how their, admittedly shaky, first encounter turned out. She put her sunhat back on and patted his cheek as a sign of assurance that she wasn't upset.

"It's no big deal, sweetie. I'm a goddess, so money isn't that much of an issue for me." The goddess of love truthfully comforted, pointing to her bag magically restocking itself full of golden coins. Goku, recalling the way those four girls never took notice of her divine change in appearance, grabbed Aphrodite's shoulder.

"Question. Before, why could I see your glowing eyes and those coins while others never noticed?" Goku curiously asked, holding a piece of drachma in between his fingertips. Aphrodite was about to respond about the Mist's specific functions on mortals, but hesitated slightly since even she couldn't come up with a proper explanation as to why Goku was seemingly unaffected.

"That's difficult to answer. You see, the Mist is a mind-altering force that makes humans unable to see gods and goddesses like me as they actually are. This switches the appearances of monsters, weapons, and other mythical properties for things universally comprehended as more "normal" by modern standards. For example, what I call drachma would be immediately replaced with the currency of a specific country, be that either in coin or dollar form." Aphrodite carefully recited from memory, gesturing to the entire city in mid-speech. Goku, not really understanding the more complex details, got a gist of the explanation from recalling his own After-Image technique and how that usually functioned in combat.

"Like an illusion?" Goku audibly wondered, attempting to make certain that he was somewhat on the same page. Aphrodite nodded enthusiastically, but started pacing back-and-forth in front of the closed doors of Tom's Restaurant, puzzled by the exception that was Goku. She then snapped her fingers in sudden realization.

"I've got it! Somehow you being from an alternate dimension where Greece and its pantheon don't exist nullifies the Mist completely. In other words, you'll be able to see everything as it actually is, including _me_!" Aphrodite summarized positively, glomping Goku from the back in unrestrained happiness. The surprising tightness of her embrace almost made the Saiyan lose his balance, frantically swaying both arms around in panic.

"Woahh! Settle down, Aphrodite!" Goku shrieked uncomfortably, desperately attempting to pry off the goddess. Aphrodite, still euphoric from the sound of her name being uttered from his lips, regained some amount of lost composure to reveal regrettable downsides his immunity to the Mist could bring forth.

"Ahem…Sorry, force of habit. Anyways, there is a tiny, tiny, tiny…ok, very likely…possibility that you might be in danger, Goku. Possibly…I don't know." Aphrodite hesitantly admitted, fumbling over herself in an attempt to alleviate the dire situation. Goku circled his black pupils around in all directions, curious as to what could happen without the Mist being present.

"Danger? How so?" Goku reluctantly asked the nervous love goddess. She spared a steadfast glance at each passing civilian and carefully leaned closer to Goku's ear.

"**Anyone** you see here has the possibility of being a monster in disguise. And all monsters are attracted to exceptionally high or abnormal levels of power. Meaning the half-bred children of gods like myself and…" Aphrodite whispered in as serious of a tone as she could muster, pointing to various New Yorkers crossing the sidewalk.

"…Me?" Goku hesitantly finished his immortal companion's sentence with a hand gesturing to himself. Aphrodite closed her eyes and nodded softly in dreaded confirmation, somewhat second-guessing the decision to bring her most recent love interest into uncharted waters.

"Sweet! It's been a long time since I've had a worthwhile fight!" Goku childishly exclaimed in battle-ready anticipation. His confident smirk caught the love completely goddess off-guard, causing her to gape with inaudible wonderment.

"Huh? Y-You're not worried about what those _things _might to do to you?!" Aphrodite choked out comically, her tongue practically tied around in a firm knot. Goku tilted his head to the side in confusion, giggling lightly at the Olympian deity's perplexment.

"Ha-ha, why would I be? I've fought enemies capable of destroying **entire solar systems** if they wanted to, Aphrodite! Nothing can get worse than that." Goku truthfully proclaimed with the utmost lack of worry. Aphrodite, mental projections of Majin Buu and Perfect Cell swirling within her subconscious, embarrassedly plays with her obsidian bangs and laughs along with him.

"Hee-hee, I guess you're right about that one, Goku. But still…" Aphrodite agreed sweetly, reaching for Goku's hand before the Saiyan goof could resist. She directs his palm to her right cheek, using her own smaller one to hold it in place. Goku is surprised by how soft her skin feels, noting how completely absent of any blemishes or other imperfections it truly was.

"Promise me that you'll be careful. I couldn't stand to see you get hurt again." Aphrodite moodily requested, closing her green eyes to enjoy the warmth of Goku's gentle grasp. Despite his still prominent unfamiliarity with Aphrodite as a person and her world in general, Goku displayed a care-free smile and rubbed the worrisome goddess's cheek once or twice for assurance.

"I promise…" Goku affirmed optimistically, always making sure to keep the promises he formulated in remembrance of his proposal to Chi Chi. Aphrodite flushed profusely at Goku's own petting, desperately trying to hold back a rumbling purr of satisfied pleasure. Before doing something, she would regret later, Aphrodite hurriedly released Goku's hand and looked into her purse as an inconspicuous distraction.

"Sorry, Goku, but I need to check back on Mount Olympus for a short while. Duty calls and all of that." Aphrodite excused herself apologetically, pouring some drachma out of her purse. She hands over about half of her already sizable supply to Goku, piquing the Saiyan's interest.

"Use this money for clothes, food, and lodging in case you don't know where you are. I _adore _the martial arts gi, hon, but it might as well be a painted target for nearby monsters." Aphrodite administered the confused Saiyan as she deposited the drachma into one of his hands. Goku inspected his orange fighting uniform, frowning in momentary offense and uncertainty towards what she exactly meant.

"B-but, where do I go? I know nothing about his world!" Goku argued in absolute desperation for some sort of guidance. Aphrodite smiled empathetically and walked closer to Goku, tilting her head just enough to kiss his cheek as a sign of encouragement.

"You're Son Goku. I _know _you'll figure something out." Aphrodite comforted in loving sincerity. A mark of red lipstick was left stained on Goku's face as a result of her bold action, so Goku immaturely attempted to wipe it off. The goddess responsible covered her mouth to hide some more entertained giggles from breaking out.

"Don't worry about paying me back, either, sweetheart. You'll make it up to me in _other_ ways…" Aphrodite playfully remarked, impure thoughts dancing around her love-centric mindscape. Goku, still distracted by the red lipped imprint, widened his eyes in curiosity.

"Other ways? What other w—" Goku was struck dumb by Aphrodite's inexplicable disappearance, literally there one moment and gone in the next. He darted his head from left to right in disbelief, not even able to sense her unusual ki signature.

"She's gone. Weird." Goku reacted confusedly, rubbing his chin in a deep-thinking position. He then shrugged his shoulders and looked towards the roads leading outside of New York City. Deciding not to fly in order to avoid unwanted attention, Goku sighed heavily and started walking one step at a time.

"Welp, might as well see what the rest of this world is like." Goku simply decided, crossing both arms behind his head in the typical elbows up position. In that moment, Goku's unexpected arrival to the world of multicultural gods would take a turn for the worst in more ways than one.

* * *

_Back on Mount Olympus…_

After teleporting back home without Goku's awareness, Aphrodite smiled wistfully in dream-like happiness. She twirled about in a dancing skip of some sort, absolutely blown away from meeting Goku up close and personal. She dematerialized her sunhat and strolled over to her temple, hoping to make preparations for another wonderful "date" if the Saiyan agreed to it. By the time Aphrodite was done with him, Goku would_ definitely_ be hers and hers alone. The love patriarch inwardly squealed at the idea of them being more than "friends" and bountifully walked over to the doorway of her most prominent residence. Or, what was left of the entrance anyways.

"What the?! Who could have done this?" Aphrodite shrieked girlishly as she perused through the most notable damages. After recognizing that one of the pieces of stone marble was caved in by a blunt-force weapon, Aphrodite's irises shrank in growing fright.

"Have fun?" asked the newly revealed Ares, arms crossed in absolute disgust and resentment. Aphrodite let out a squeak of nervousness that caused her to lose control of the black hair she created for Goku, going back to shifting between different forms.

"W-whatever do you mean, baby? Y-you know nothing's ever as fun without you—" Aphrodite attempted to sweettalk her way out of this mess, utilizing a voice laced with pure seduction in hopes that it would work. Ares, however, was not pleased in the slightest.

"Cut the crap, Aphrodite. I saw you with that off-worlder just over an hour ago." Ares snapped unamusingly; his eyes lit up with fresh atomic detonations of greater magnitude. Aphrodite shifted her form to sport a pink Southern belle dress, fanning her sweat-drenched face with a tool of the same color.

"A-Ares, darling, I-I can explain…T-that man means nothing to me…" Aphrodite lied through her teeth, immensely disappointed in herself for what she had to say about Goku to win back the war god's good graces. Ares rolled his eyes and grunted with all sense of doubt.

"Yeah, bringing him here was no big deal then, huh? Tsk, Zeus and the Olympians want to speak with you in the Hall. Better not keep him waiting." Ares carelessly recommended, turning his back on her in jealous rage. Aphrodite lifted up the hems of her gown and ran up to Ares, placing a consoling hand on his shoulder.

"Ares please…" Aphrodite whimpered sorrowfully, worried more for Goku than herself at this point. Ares roughly slaps her gloved hand away and proceeds to march onward to the peak of Mount Olympus.

"Let's go." Ares demanded temperately, dragging his aluminum bat and hunting knife along with him. Aphrodite, floored by the war god's rare coldness towards her, hesitantly follows in hopes that Goku would be spared by the sky god's eternal wrath.

* * *

_In the Hall of the Gods…_

The Olympian gods and goddesses, minus Artemis, Dionysus due to his forced position as a counselor at Camp Half-Blood, Hestia, Ares, and of course, Aphrodite, were all in the middle of critically analyzing the same Iris Message Aphrodite used to view Goku's various exploits in Universe 7. While an slightly unnerved Zeus was positioned in the center, Hera sat on his left in an adamantine-ivory throne covered with designs of peacocks and willow trees. Said Queen of Olympus had long, licorice black hair and quite beautiful brown eyes, wearing a white dress with peacock feathers tied around her neck in cape form. She looked dismissively at the footage playing before her, appalled by the sheer bloodshed both Goku and his adversaries displayed on the battlefield.

"I'll admit that while this Goku might not be the smartest man I've seen; he is an absolute genius in combat and a master of battle strategy." Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, reluctantly complimented Goku's versatility as a martial artist. She had long black hair tied down into a pony tail and piercing gray eyes resembling the color of storm clouds. Decked head to toe in Imperial Gold armor and white robes, the daughter of Zeus sat on a silver throne adorned with golden weaving baskets on each of its sides. Athena was particularly transfixed on Goku's bout with Perfect Cell during the Cell Games, fascinated by his exceptional speed and quick thinking under pressure.

"That's not a good thing, Athena! Have you seen the damage him and those other monsters have done to the poor planets they've fought on?! It's absolutely barbaric!" Demeter, the goddess of agriculture, cried out miserably, particularly disturbed by Frieza's swift devastation of Namek via firing a Death Ball at its core. She had curly blond hair that extended along her back and wore a green dress that moved similarly to fresh plants breaking from the soil. Atop her head lied a crown of roses and corn leaves, matching the branched roots used to sew together the throne she is perched on.

"I don't know, Demeter. He can call upon the energy of _any_ living being and, what I'm especially impressed by, the sun itself! Seems like a cool guy to me." Apollo, Greek god of the sun, light, poetry, archery, etc., praised the Saiyan warrior's inherited Spirit Bomb technique as he lazily kicked back in his golden throne. He had tousled blond hair that shone as bright as the sun with practically molten eyes to match. The sun god also wore a gold toga and had an intricately designed arrow holster of the same color wrapped around his shoulder area, nicely extenuating the trademark bow he is most known for using.

"Yes, but the plants could be drained of their lifeforce because of it! Did you ever think of that?!" Demeter whimpered arguably, frustrated tears building in her eyes just thinking of the possible environmental consequences a full powered Genkidama could bring forth.

"I'm more impressed by the technological advancement of his world when compared to ours. Time machines, hovercrafts, and pocket-sized devices that can fit homes of any size?! This Bulma friend of his is a scientific genius of the highest caliber!" Hephaestus observed in unbridled admiration, blown away by the scientific implications Universe 7's existence may bring to the table. The Greek god of forges and technology was heavily misshapen due to an "accident" that took place shortly after birth, having a bulging forehead and shoulders that weren't evenly aligned. He had scraggly brown hair and a bushy beard that spontaneously lit on fire during certain points in time. Due to designing each of his fellow gods' thrones singlehandedly, his seat in the council was particular the most complex and resembled that of a recliner with silver-bronze gears jutting out from it.

"Hmmm it seems like he comes from a species that become progressively stronger after each battle. What should we do about this, brother?" Poseidon, God of the Seas, pondered aloud to his younger sibling. He had tanned skin and a neatly trimmed black beard, sporting sea-green eyes that signified an inner gentleness that wasn't often shown. The ocean king had an intricately crafted trident of aging bronze held in his right hand, propping it up alongside his black leather throne. Sparks of an unusual green energy irradiated out of the weapon's three blades as he spoke. Just when Zeus was about to initiate his final verdict, Ares dragged Aphrodite by the arm and lightly shoved her into the Hall's center.

"Found her. She was particularly _giddy_ from her most recent _date_." Ares growled irritably, feeling as if he wanted to start an entire war from having to say that last word. Aphrodite looked towards the floor shamefully while Hephaestus had an absolute field day seeing her most recent example of infidelity being caught red-handed.

"Hahahaha having a little lover's quarrel, _honey_?" Hephaestus snickered at his "wife's" expense, slapping a calloused hand on his artificially mended knee. Aphrodite scowled at Hephaestus's fit of uncontrollable laughter, grinding her teeth in an admittedly un-lady like manner.

"Shut up, _dear_! I never asked to be married to an oaf like you anyways." Aphrodite fumed in disgust, haughtily raising her nose up into the air and crossing both arms.

"Fah. I can say the same to you, ya spoiled brat…" Hephaestus snorted resentfully in disgust, crossing his incredibly muscular arms the same way. Aphrodite was about to round on the crippled fire god for his slight insult, but held back after Zeus slammed his Master Bolt onto the tiled floor impatiently.

"SILENCE!" The sky god bellowed loudly, his booming voice echoing off the council room's massive walls and columns. Each possible topic of conversation was immediately ceased between the other Olympians, not wanting to further provoke Zeus in his already sour mood. Eyes glowing with plasmatic volts of electricity, Zeus glared down from his throne at the one who caused this whole avoidable situation.

"Explain yourself, Aphrodite. NOW!" Zeus shouted demandingly at the cowering love goddess. Left stuck in a theoretical corner that she couldn't get out of, Aphrodite decided to not beat around the bush and come clean about her prior intentions. She looked up at the still projected likeness of Goku as a small confidence booster before making full eye-contact with Zeus himself. While her fellow gods and goddesses didn't pay much attention to this easy-to-miss mannerism, Ares was absolutely infuriated by her still prominent interest in the Saiyan.

"Well, I've grown quite fond of Son Goku over the years for his heroism and exceptional performance as a fighter. He was unlike any person I've seen before, so…I…I sent an elevator to his home universe in an attempt to—" Aphrodite elaborated in a stammer laced with all sense of regret, her thoughts being cut off by the intently listening family members.

"Sleep with him?" The previously distracted messenger god, Hermes, slyly inquired, taking a break from filling out paperwork and making phone calls with interested clients. He had curly black hair and blue eyes, wearing a winged helmet and pair of shoes for delivery purposes. Hermes sat in a throne of gray rock with ram heads on both armrests.

"Well, maybe…" Aphrodite sadly admitted, truly wanting so much more with Goku than just a one-night stand.

"Use him for means of gaining more power for yourself?" Athena suspiciously theorized from the perspective of her strategist, squinting both startling gray orbs at the nervous romance representative.

"What? Don't be ridiculous…" Aphrodite objected the wisdom goddess' claims of tyranny.

"Kill me?" Hephaestus jokingly prodded, playing up his hurt feelings to an exaggerated degree. Her "husband's" mockery of her own personal goals was a breaking point for Aphrodite, causing an intense of aura of pink to encase her entire body and pupils.

"NO! I-it was to get him to love me…as…as I love him." Aphrodite honestly admitted, placing a delicate hand over her heart for emphasized proof of what she meant. Ares gripped the hilt of his bat tightly enough to dent its metal exterior while Hera was left aghast by Aphrodite's declaration of love for this extraterrestrial being.

"T-that is pure nonsense! You would love a man who abandoned his wife and two children for the sake of improving his own strength?! He obviously has no respect for the sanctity of family and marriage! It's revolting just to look at him." Hera criticized the seemingly selfish actions that took place throughout Goku's life.

"Goku needed more power to _protect_ his family and friends! Have you seen the type of evil monstrosities he's had to deal with in the past?!" Aphrodite defended the Saiyan man-child's motivations for doing what he did, recalling Cell and Majin Buu as contenders for what Universe 7 was truly capable of in terms of immoral hell-spawn.

"The sheer power of him and his enemies is exactly why we need to dispose of Goku at all costs! If Kronos managed to convince a man who could annihilate whole planets with one consecutive blast to join his cause, Mount Olympus and the world itself would be **doomed**." Poseidon gravely reminded the outraged love goddess and his residing brethren. The Titan of Time's name sent shivers down the Olympians' spines, none of them even wanting to think of what could happen if Kronos managed to possess Goku's body or worse.

"That wouldn't happen! Goku has always fought for what is right and that won't change no matter what!" Aphrodite profusely denied the possibility of Goku being manipulated by the dreaded Titan Lord.

"You don't know that for sure, Aphrodite! Look at what happened to Hermes' son, Luke, and even Ares. Do you really want to take the risk?" Zeus notified her on the extent of Kronos' terrifying abilities even during the process of reforming in Tartarus. Hermes' playful gaze darkened into one of heartbreak at the mention of Luke Castellan while Ares cursed himself for being one of Kronos' puppets when stealing the Master Bolt about two years ago.

"But…" Aphrodite struggled to argue, but nothing of merit was able to come out of her mouth. Assuming that he won the argument, Zeus nodded victoriously and addressed the other members of Mount Olympus's council. They silently agreed with the proposition he decided on while Aphrodite cowered pathetically in defeat.

"We'll send out a search party to capture Goku and transport him directly to Mount Olympus. Once we have him, his fate will be left decided by any vote of our choosing." Zeus carefully explained the step-by-step process of his plans. Aphrodite, horrified by the decision to hunt down Goku like an escaped convict on the lamb, frantically ran up to Zeus's seat, but was held back by a stone-faced Ares.

"W-who are you sending to find him?" Aphrodite regretted to ask, supremely concerned for Goku's wellbeing. Zeus glanced down at the panicking daughter of Ouranos and smirked knowingly, waving his hand sideways to shift the Iris Message from displaying Goku's exploits to a sort of snowy, mountainous area. Within this cold landscape resided a large group of 12 to 13-year-old girls that wore matching white coats and held silver bows in their hands. The most prominent of these archers was a notably older woman with silvery yellow eyes and auburn hair tied back into that of a ponytail. This was Artemis, Greek goddess of the moon and hunt, and the ladies setting up camp nearby were her Hunters. Recognizing the virgin deity upon first glimpse, Aphrodite's worries for the male Saiyan skyrocketed exponentially.

"Artemis, can you hear me?" Zeus passively greeted, attempting to garner his daughter's attention in the middle of her most prevalent hunting trip. Artemis whispered for some of her hunters to go else where for a moment and then stepped closer to the barely visible Iris Message.

"Yes, father, what's the problem?" Artemis inquired respectfully, pushing back a lock of her red hair. Apollo, seeing his twin sister in full view, made his presence known and lazily waved at her.

"Yo, sis! What's up?" Apollo addressed casually, wiggling his eyebrows in over-the-top playfulness. Artemis blankly stares at the sun god unamusingly and rolls her eyes.

"Ah, Apollo. Still obnoxious as ever I see." Artemis coolly deadpanned, brushing off her brother's attempts at acting laid back and go with the flow.

"Ooo that burns Arty! And I'm the sun god!" Apollo sarcastically chuckled, used to his sister's overly distant personality after a millennia of sibling rivalry. Zeus and Artemis both glared at Apollo distastefully before getting back to the central purpose of their conversation. The lightning god produced a smaller Iris Message that simply diagrammed Goku's body from head to toe and showed it to the goddess of archers.

"I want you to hunt down a man named Son Goku. He is an alien from another dimension that Aphrodite foolishly sent here for equally foolish reasons. He is extremely dangerous, so don't underestimate him and make sure to bring him back to Mount Olympus alive." Zeus requested authoritatively, crushing the miniscule image of Goku in his hands as he finished speaking. Artemis, annoyed by the fact that her planned "prey" was a mere male, sighed in agreement and readied her equipment.

"Typical Aphrodite going to great lengths just to please her male-centric fantasies. Where is this Goku now?" Artemis grumbled under her breath in growing reluctance. Aphrodite placed both hands on her hips in appalment towards Artemis's nonchalant rudeness while Zeus projected a map of New York City for the moon goddess to thoroughly inspect.

"From what I can gather, he was near the Empire State Building, but has since moved towards Long Island at this point. Try to corner him there if he gets too close to discovering Camp Half-Blood." Zeus helpfully recommended a particular area for Artemis and her Hunters to place themselves in. Said daughter of Leto nodded affirmatively and zipped up her winter jacket, ready to take action.

"Understood. I won't let you down, father." Artemis promised confidently, swiping away the Iris Message as she readied her Hunters for their next expedition. Zeus smiled proudly for a split second, but then dismissively darted his electric blue eyes towards the relentlessly pleading Aphrodite.

"Zeus, I beg of you! You're making a mistake!" Aphrodite beseeched the close-minded king of Olympus, knowing how confused and alone Goku must feel right now. Zeus and the other Olympians just looked upon her sternly in abject disapproval for what she has done.

"No. You made the mistake of teleporting that freakish _mortal _here in the first place. If he dies, his blood is on your hands." Zeus harshly chastised, his throne erupting with live impulses of thunder and lightning. Aphrodite's dark green eyes widened in disheartened sadness, but then immediately closed them sorrowfully.

"Ares, escort Aphrodite back to her temple. Make sure she doesn't leave without your supervision." Zeus passively advised the agitated war god. Ares smiled deviously and picked up Aphrodite bridal style, an action which the love goddess was not at all on board with.

"With pleasure, dad. With _pleasure_." Ares chuckled agreeably, whispering into Aphrodite's ear with the last part. A deep flush adorning her cheeks, the love goddess began to kick and scream desperately in extreme protest.

"No! Let me go, Ares! No! Noooooo!" Aphrodite screamed in growing misery as Ares ignorantly marched back to her home with plots of revenge circling inside of his head. After the departure of Aphrodite, Poseidon leaned over to Zeus's side with a look of prominent uncertainty beginning to show.

"Do you think we're doing the right thing, brother? This man has saved his world and the worlds of others many times over." The sea god discernibly proclaimed in a murmur of befuddlement. Zeus stroked his black beard a few times with the same sense of curiosity, but narrowed his blue eyes anyways in inarguable respect of his decision.

"Only time will tell." Zeus simply responded; his statement laced with a hidden double meaning. For now, all he, Poseidon, and the other god/goddesses could do was patiently wait for Artemis to bring forth their intended target: either alive or, under extreme circumstances, dead.

* * *

_In the mountains…_

Artemis blew out a sigh of prominent disinterest after dematerializing the Iris Message sent by her father, Lord Zeus. She pinched the bridge of her nose in minor aggravation, but still decided to gather her misplaced arrows and hunting equipment. One statement uttered by her father left the feminist goddess a little skeptical as to what exactly the point of this trip was anyways. In all of her years as an immortal warrior, no _mortal_ male has ever been able to best her in terms of sheer skill and determination. Some have come closer than others, but they might as well not count due to how long it has been since their inevitable deaths. What exactly made this Goku both so different and worthy of her undivided attention?

_"Dangerous? Tsk, all males are the same. It shouldn't take too long to find him." _Aphrodite thought judgmentally, repositioning her silver quiver of arrows as she shuffled through the blanket of snow. Then again, something about the man's black eyes screamed experience and an inherit readiness for all forms of battle. Almost, _predatory _in a way similar to her and the other Hunters of Artemis. Artemis shook her head dismissively, trying to suppress memories of the only man she could see herself being together with.

"What troubles thy, milady?" A tall girl with long black hair concernedly asked Artemis. This was Zoë Nightshade, Artemis's lieutenant and the daughter of Atlas, a Titan in Kronos's army who was forced to hold up the heavens themselves. She had dark brown eyes and copper-toned skin, a silver circlet that implied Persian royalty resting along her forehead.

"Tell the girls to gather their belongings. Lord Zeus has tasked us with hunting down a man from an alternate universe." Artemis ordered Zoë exhaustedly, not receiving enough rest from the other day's hunting session. Zoë frowned deeply at the mention of being asked to hunt a man for another man, but kept her distaste with the operation marginally under control.

"A man from another world? Is thou the same as the men of this world?" Zoë cautiously questioned her leader, trying to imagine what this interloper could look or act like.

"I doubt it, but it's hard to say from just looking at him. We'll have to determine what "Son Goku" is capable of when we get to Long Island, New York." Artemis emphasized distractedly, signaling for Zoë and the other Hunters to follow when finished packing. After a few minutes of well-organized teamwork, Zoë and each individual Hunter of Artemis sprinted through the snow-covered woods at inhuman speeds as one cooperative unit.

"_Let's see if Son Goku can be prey worthy of my interest. If he puts up a challenging fight that is." _Artemis wondered anticipatedly, her golden irises squinted with the innate thrill for hunting any form of big game. Like a wolf on the prowl, Artemis rushes through the trees towards the shores of Long Island Sound as her gathering of elite Hunters followed close by.

* * *

***Hi! Thank you so much for the support guys! Getting 50 favorites and 63 follows is absolutely mind-blowing for me as a fairly new fanfiction writer! All I can say is that I hope you enjoy this chapter and future ones as they come along. The next update will include Goku vs. the Hunters of Artemis and a monster I am undecided on at the moment, so expect that sometime soon. Anyways, for new readers, please leave a favorite, follow, and/or review to tell me what you think. See ya later! :)**

**Also, if you like my style of writing, check out my new story, Pokémon Dragon Ball Version. It only has 1 chapter right now, but another update will probably be posted tomorrow or Wednesday depending on my schedule.**


	5. Artemis's Foul

Chapter 5: Artemis's Foul

Deciding not to endure the hassle of purchasing new clothes like Aphrodite advised earlier, Goku ultimately wandered off to a forested area near Long Island's easternmost tip. It rested along the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, serving as a border between New York and a neighboring state called Connecticut. The ever-expansive patch of woods was filled with many towering oaks and pine trees, each of their respective leaves blocking out the sun from up above. This created a thick blanket of shadow that made the forest much more ominous in nature, making Goku feel as if he was being watched by someone or something of questionable origin. However, growing up near Mt. Paozu's incredibly dangerous wildlife, this slight uneasiness did nothing to deter the Saiyan warrior from his exploring. Well, aside from the biting sensation of boredom starting to creep in.

"Wish Aphrodite gave me a better explanation as to where I should go. This forest is starting to tire me out from just looking at it." Goku grimaced exhaustively, letting out a light yawn as he continued walking along the trail. Unbeknownst to him, an ill-tempered Artemis and her huntresses of the same name sprinted through tree after tree in differing positions. Once she caught sight of her primary target, Artemis raised a hand upwards as an indication for her Hunters to stay put until further instructions. The forever pre-teen girls did as their mistress ordered and scattered across the entire pavilion, some camouflaged on top of trees while others were crouched down behind neighboring bushes. The aforementioned goddess of the hunt squinted her eyes scathingly, golden irises shining brightly in the darkened woodland.

"Thy man doesn't look that impressive. One shot should be good enough." Zoë Nightshade scoffed ignorantly, preparing to notch a silver arrow from her bow. Artemis glared at the unforeseen foolishness of her second-in-command, placing a hand in front of the tan-skinned girl.

"Don't be so sure, Zoë. Lord Zeus told us to track him down for a reason. We should take action when the situation calls for it." Artemis lowly chastised, not even bothering to take her eyes off of Goku's approaching form. Zoë held back a retort of protest waiting to be let loose and begrudgingly nodded while looking down at the grass beneath her feet. Artemis then took a deep breath and inaudibly checked in on the rest of her followers, eyes darting from one side of the woods to the next. Receiving a universal sign of confirmation that each girl was ready to strike, Artemis positioned her trademark bow in front of her and made preparations for firing. Little did she know, Goku was already well aware of the proposed ambush from the get go.

"_There's multiple energy signatures all around me. One is noticeably harder to sense than the others. If it's another god or goddess like Aphrodite, I better keep myself distracted." _Goku pondered strategically, continuing to act as oblivious as he initially appeared. Meanwhile, Artemis's eyes glazed over with silver energy in an attempt to enhance the impact of her arrow. Once its spearhead radiated with equal levels of divine power, she fired the arrow at point blank range and directly aimed for Goku's forehead. Whistling speedily through the air, Goku's ki-sensing ability allowed him to see and hear the accelerating weapon in slow motion. Just as Artemis's arrow was about to pierce his skin, Bardock's youngest son jerked his head to the side and dodged the incoming attack. The arrow continued moving forward, completely cleaving a tree in half before dissolving into nothingness. Artemis and the other Hunters were expectantly floored by this insanely fast reflex.

"_H-he dodged it?!_ _How is that possible?!" _Artemis gaped mentally, failing to recall a time when _any_ prey was able to escape her perfect marksmanship unscathed. Goku looked behind his back for a second to inspect the environmental damages and then stood in place to address his would-be opponents.

"Hey! You're Artemis, right? I think I saw you in one of Aphrodite's memories." Goku greeted informingly, placing two hands over his mouth in order to elevate the audibility of his voice. The careless mention of their leader's name absolutely infuriated each hunter, especially Zoë.

"Silence, male! How dare thou disgrace m'lady's name with thy alien tongue?!" Zoë Nightshade snapped disgustedly; her dark brown eyes narrowed in pure contempt. Her fellow hunters refused to reveal their hiding places as well, only deciding to ready their own arrows in case Goku decided to retaliate.

"Huh? What did I do to make you girls so angry with me?" Goku inquired curiously, observing the battalion of feminine archers personally aiming for the head and other portions of his muscle-toned body. Artemis, still reeling back from the shock of her failed shot, stepped out of the woods and commenced a distant stare down with the heavily surrounded martial artist.

"You, Son Goku, have been seen as a threat by all of Mount Olympus. Willingly hand yourself over to Lord Zeus or face the consequences your presence has brought unto this world." Artemis icily threatened with an unwarranted sense of authority. Still confused by why he was being lambasted as a criminal, a concerning thought immediately came to Goku's head in direct relation to Mount Olympus.

"Wait, if I'm being viewed as an enemy by the King of the Gods or whatever, what happened to Aphrodite?" Goku pronounced worryingly, beginning to develop a slight connection with the ditzy love goddess. Artemis, not exactly on friendly terms with Aphrodite from past experience alone, glowered temperately and rolled her glowing eyes.

"That fool's probably being punished by Ares as we speak. Serves her right for blindly worshiping an anomaly like you." Artemis spat venomously, unconcerned for Aphrodite's personal wellbeing or romantic squabbles. Hearing that his new "friend" might be in danger, Goku scowled defensively and crouched down into a battle stance.

"If this Zeus guy had any part in harming Aphrodite, then I won't give myself up that easily. If it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll definitely get, Artemis." Goku exclaimed determinedly, inwardly excited for his first confrontation with one of this dimension's so-called Olympians. The Saiyan's sudden change in behavior caught the moon goddess off-guard, but even she couldn't hide her building anticipation for what was about to take place. This Goku really was the type of prey she was searching for: a challenging combatant that would put all of her inherited skills as a huntress to the test.

"So be it, Goku. Don't disappoint me." Artemis advised coolly, sporting a competitive smirk. Goku lightly grinned the same way, raising up one of his hands and gesturing for the twin sister of Apollo to come at him. Upon this display of consent for attack, all of the 12 to 13-year-old Hunters of Artemis rapidly nocked arrows at the spot Goku's was currently located. At the sight of over a hundred projectiles coming towards him, Goku surrounded his entire body with a white aura of ki and widely outstretched one of his arms.

"Haaaaah!" Goku shouted powerfully, projecting a stream of condensed energy that disintegrated every single approaching arrow in one fell swoop. Flabbergasted by this unforeseen technique, Zoë Nightshade rolled over to Goku and shot a speedy barrage of her own arrows at close range. Said Saiyan moved his arms around to shatter each one, his skin seemingly hard enough for them not to produce any sort of noticeable wound. This simply ticked Zoë off to even more extreme degree.

"Grrr! I don't care how strong thou art! NO _MAN_ WILL EVER GET THE BEST OF ME!" Zoë screamed defiantly, taking a Celestial Bronze hunting knife out of her pocket. As she full-heartedly charged Goku in an attempt to slice his chest, Goku fazed out of existence and reappeared on the side of said shocked young girl. He then chopped the pressure point on Zoë's neck and looked down at her somewhat apologetically.

"W-what d-did…d-did…" Zoë collapsed knee first before she could finish her previous statement, instantly falling unconscious from Goku's heavily suppressed jab. Zoë's effortless defeat startled the other Hunters, a wide majority too frozen in place from fear to confront Goku any further. Not feeling any sort of hostility for the girl, Goku picked up Zoë's limp body and softly set her someplace away from the makeshift battlefield.

"She'll be fine. She might be asleep for a few hours, but that's all." Goku calmly assured the concerned Hunters, holding up his hands to prove that he wouldn't do anything overtly suspicious. This almost noble behavior from a man like Goku intrigued the overtly sexist Hunters, but their distrust in his gender was still prevalent as ever. Artemis jogged over to Zoë's side for additional confirmation that she was alright, motherly brushing away some bangs covering her closed eyelids. She smiled fondly in relief for a second before turning around to solemnly glare at Goku's present form.

"I appreciate you for doing that, Goku, but it will definitely take more than that to bring me down. Much more." Artemis forewarned the patiently waiting Saiyan as she unexpectantly wrapped the bow around her shoulders. She then did the same as Zoë and pulled out two matching Celestial Bronze blades from her coat pockets. These ones were almost diamond in color and extended up to the length of her own two arms, comparable in size to that of medieval broadswords. Artemis placed one hunting sword in front of her and the other near her backside, auburn hair flowing in the wind as she crouched downward in preparation to pounce Goku like a fierce predator on the prowl.

"Woah." Goku simply stated, awe-struck by the intricate design of her handheld weapons when, say, compared to Future Trunks' from over 7 years ago. Artemis took this as an open opportunity to slash at Goku's face with one blade and stomach using the second, causing the Saiyan to frantically perform a backwards somersault. The goddess of archers then dashed forward to slice at Goku's legs in an "x" formation as he landed, trying not to give him any ample time to breathe. Goku took a page from Piccolo's book and continued dodging, hopping above the double-bladed cross technique. He instantly transmitted himself behind Artemis's and attempt to scissor kick her neck, a method of retaliation which the empowered goddess was able to block with immense difficulty. She held both swords in between Goku's right foot and attempted to use her divine strength to throw him onto the soiled ground. This failed once Goku teleported himself above the goddess and slammed down both hands onto her head in a successfully performed Double Axe Handle! Artemis's eyes popped out of her sockets in response to this sudden move, her beautiful face forcefully buried 6 feet deep in the dirt.

"Oh shoot! Sorry, sorry, sorry!" Goku apologized profusely, cringing at the amount of strength he unintentionally put into that attack. Artemis squirmed a bit from momentary discomfort, using both "knives" to prop herself back up. The damage wasn't serious to say the least except for a prominent bruise on top of her head and disheveled clumps of red hair sticking out in several directions. She massaged her aching scalp, baffled to see that small flecks of golden Ichor, the blood of the Gods, were starting to sprout from the cranial wound.

"_I-impossible. I'm bleeding from just one hit?! There's no telling how much power he may possess…" _Artemis thought in abject disbelief, the droplets of Ichor dissipating as her blemish slowly began to regenerate itself back to normal. She spared a side-glance at Goku, more and more puzzled by his very existence than anything else.

"_What is he? He's obviously not a god like myself, but he can't be human either. Curse father for not telling me more! As a hunter, I need to know exactly what I'm up against." _Artemis asked herself almost demandingly, unaware of Goku's Saiyan heritage in his home of Universe 7. She was starting to get immensely frustrated by Zeus's vague description of Goku as "dangerous" as opposed to giving out specific details on his fighting style and abilities. But, then again, that made him all the more **enticing** of an opponent in relation to hunting specifically.

"Impressive hit…" Artemis grumbled under her breath, brushing excess dirt off of the white coat she was currently wearing. Goku, hearing this semi-compliment, coughed nervously whilst scratching the back of his head.

"Uh, thanks. Sometimes I don't know my own strength, so sorry about that. It was uncalled for." Goku respectively admitted, offhandedly pointing to the deep imprint where Artemis's face used to be. Artemis unamusingly stared at Goku's with flat eyebrows, her red lips etched in a prominent frown.

"Don't apologize. That will be the last injury you _ever _give me anyways." Artemis confidently declared, readying her twin blades for combat once more. Liking the firm spirit of this particular goddess, Goku also entered the trademark stance of the Turtle School and awaited her first move. However, a spike of hostile ki abruptly entered his subconscious mind, steadily getting more noticeable and enormous by the second. Out of nowhere, a gigantic blast of yellow energy headed straight for Artemis!

"WATCH OUT!" Goku shrieked frightfully, pushing Artemis out of the way as said lightning bolt crashed downward in a fiery explosion. The implosion of this inexplicable beam knocked down several surrounding trees, ripping their roots out of the ground without much delay. Revealing itself from the deepest parts of the woods, a larger than average hydra with three pairs of glowing orange eyes stormed into view. Each of its heads had six elongated spines that resembled crowns and a multitude of sharp spikes along their necks. The draconic monster, unlike its smaller brethren, had a massive pair of wings that tore through the entire forest every time they moved a single muscle as well.

"Graaahhghgh!" The ferocious three-headed beast roared viciously, primarily setting its sights on the stunned Goku. Seeing that their mistress and the passed-out Zoë were potentially in danger, the other Hunters sprung out from their hiding places and attempted to fend off the mythological creature as best as they could. Artemis, still being shielded by Goku, blushed in a mix of embarrassment and infuriation, and shoved the Saiyan off of her.

"Get off of me! What gave you the audacity to touch—my gods." Artemis gasped disparagingly, amazed by this hydra's immense stature compared to others of the same species. Each arrow fired by her subordinates did nothing to deter the reptilian beast's rampage, all evaporating in small sparks of static electricity before they could even touch its skin. Hunter after hunter fell from the hydra's immense power, either being sent flying by beam-induced explosions or blown away from the projected wind of its impressive wingspan. Goku, not familiar with a creature like this aside from its slight resemblance to Gohan's pet, Icarus, and maybe Shenron, looked to Artemis for some much-needed details.

"W-what is that?" Goku almost whispered in starstruck amazement, the hydra's yellow gravity beams gleaming along his widened black orbs. Artemis shakily helped herself up and glared at the monolithic creature as it tossed her girls around like ragdolls.

"_That _is a hydra. It's a dragon-like monster that can grow two more of its heads back if one of them is destroyed or cut off. However, I've never seen one of this particular size in over a millennium. Nor one with wings either." Artemis honestly admitted, recalling the nine-headed Lernaean Hydra that Hercules fought as one of his 12 Labors. Goku was surprised by the sheer rarity of the hydra standing before him, wondering why it barged in without warning. Then, he began to recall a crucial piece of information Aphrodite shared with him after their "date" at Tom's Restaurant.

_A few hours ago…_

"_**Anyone**__ you see here has the possibility of being a monster in disguise. And all monsters are attracted to exceptionally high or abnormal levels of power. Meaning the half-bred children of gods like myself and…" Aphrodite whispered in as serious of a tone as she could muster, pointing to various New Yorkers crossing the sidewalk. _

_ "…Me?" Goku hesitantly finished his immortal companion's sentence with a hand gesturing to himself. Aphrodite closed her eyes and nodded softly in dreaded confirmation, somewhat second-guessing the decision to bring her most recent love interest into uncharted waters._

"It's after me!" Goku realized with a resound snap of his fingers. Artemis, adjusting the position of her bow and twin daggers, side-glanced Goku curiously whilst proceeding to size up her next big target.

"What do you mean?" Artemis asked impatiently, ready to come to her Hunters' aid at any moment. The Saiyan warrior motioned to his chest and orange martial arts gi for emphasis on what he was implying.

"It's my power. Somehow my enormous ki is making the hydra feel threatened and territorial. Sort of like you and the Olympians in a way." Goku explained informingly while projecting a small ki sphere in the palm of his hands. Artemis deadpanned at the last phrase, causing Goku to backpedal a bit from guilt-ridden discomfort.

"No offense." Goku quickly added, darting his eyes away from Artemis's piercing gold ones. Said archery goddess sighed irritably and tapped her foot in waiting for Goku to make the point he was attempting to share.

"What are you going to do about it then, _Son Goku_? My hunters don't have much time left out there. They could die any second now!" Artemis demanded worryingly, peering over at certain girls collapsing from exhaustion or being crushed by the hydra's frantic writhing. Goku, angered by the turmoil he inadvertently caused, steadily built up his ki in an attempt to draw the hydra away from the wounded Hunters of Artemis. This proved successful as all three of the hydra's heads stared at Goku with their reptilian slits, growling profusely.

"Order your hunters to fall back. I'll deal with the hydra." Goku commanded sternly, his energy rising higher and higher in the guise of a flowing white fire. Taking note of this instantaneous power boost, Artemis struggled to retort the martial artist's firm advisement.

"Y-you…you can't tell me what to do! I'm a hunter! I _never _run away from a—" Artemis attempted to argue defiantly, holding out one of her knives closer to Goku's neck. Goku, however, was unconvinced and grabbed the virgin goddess's wrist at breakneck speeds. His eyes burned holes into Artemis's very soul, causing her to freeze in place.

"NO! This is my mess and I'll clean it up! Understand?" Goku growled furiously, easing the tightness of his hold on her just a bit. Artemis, short of breath at the moment, slowly nodded and pulled away her hand from Goku's larger, combat-oriented one. She massaged her wrist just a bit confusedly before letting out a garbled call.

"G-girls, retreat to the woods! The situation is under control." Artemis cried authoritatively, pointing to the sea of trees located behind her. The girls sprinted away from the currently distracted hydra and followed after their self-proclaimed leading lady, some taking time to both support the severely injured and gather Zoë's still unconscious body. Goku stood in place, keeping the hydra preoccupied with his highly intimidating ki signature.

"Lady Artemis, are you sure trusting this _man _is wise? We were doing just fine without him." Phoebe, one of Artemis's oldest hunters, grumbled distrustfully while holding a prominent gash on the side of her stomach. She was larger and beefier in size compared to her fellow colleagues, having a full head of ginger hair.

"You know that's not true, Phoebe. Besides, this Goku holds more power than we initially anticipated. Consider this hydra incident a study session of some sort." Artemis advised truthfully, tapping her noggin a few times for analysis purposes. Phoebe grunted in understanding and got to work healing the other hunters as she usually did on hunting incursions like this. Artemis then adjusted the position of her head and inspected Goku's every move from that point forward.

"Bidibidibidi!" screeched the yellow-scaled hydra as it attempted to slam into Goku, its massive wings tearing trees apart as they moved. Goku squatted down and clenched his fists alongside each knee in response, not at all fearful of the approaching monster.

"Kaioken…" Goku chanted lowly through clenched teeth, his eyes narrowed dangerously. The aura surrounding his body skyrocketed exponentially, converting into an orangish-red color. Additionally, Goku's bodyweight seemed to increase in sheer pressure alone, the ground beneath his feet beginning to crack apart little by little. As one of the hydra's heads attempted to bite down on Goku, his jet-black hair steadily rose up like that of a Super Saiyan.

"…x2!" Goku yelled powerfully, his reddened body disappearing into thin air. Once the hydra mistakenly clenched its teeth shut, Kaioken Goku materialized from below and launched a highspeed kick at the monster's stomach area. Convulsing from immense pain, the hydra was sent careening into a surrounding mass of pine trees, destroying one after the other in electricity-infused implosions. Not wanting to cause too much devastation, Goku vanished once more by keying on the hydra's ki. Artemis and her hunters were left completely speechless by this display of experienced battle prowess.

"I-impossible! H-he managed to injure it without a Celestial Bronze blade!" Phoebe choked out from reactionary shock, infuriated that Goku was singlehandedly able to outperform every hunter with just one attack. Artemis was even more dumbfounded by this strangely named technique, noting its positive effect on the marital artist's strength and speed.

_"If Goku could make me bleed by his ordinary lonesome, there's no telling what he could do in this state. It's…I've never felt this terrified, yet immensely __**excited **__at the same time." _Artemis thought elatedly, wanting to figure out everything about the Saiyan's home and where his god-like level of power actually came from. Meanwhile, the stunned hydra continued to flail about through the woods, its heads disoriented from Kaioken Goku's rapid-fire kick. Before it could regain control of its wings, Goku shifted below the back area and launched an uppercut that sent the hydra into the skies above.

"Better keep it away from the forest for now on." Goku supposed strategically, using the last of his Kaioken x3 to elevate himself where the hydra was punched. He then dissipated his red aura to alleviate the setbacks of said King Kai's Fist and readied himself for further confrontation once more. Now airborne, the hydra utilized its wings to their fullest potential and floated in place. Every single flap projected small cyclones that almost blew Goku away, lightning bolts surrounding its entire body as it did so. Goku ignored the propulsion of streaming wind and Instant Transmissioned all around the hydra's body to psyche it out. This caused the oversized reptile to twist and turn its heads to nip at the fleeing Goku, growing more frustrated every time they missed. Goku then teleported in front of one head's elongated neck, resulting in it being ripped clean off by the center one as he instantaneously evaded!

"Yikes! Didn't mean for that to happen." Goku yelped disgustingly, feeling a bit queasy from the excess puss and blood spewing out. However, what grossed him out even more was the fact that two forked tongues molted from within the dismembered appendage, reforming cellularly into Chinese Dragon heads identical to the one that was previously lost.

"Graaahghghg!" the hydra roared triumphantly as it regenerated better than it ever was before. All four heads then opened their fanged maws in unison, orange energy building from their mouths and slit green eyes. Wanting to end this fight before it got too difficult to handle, Goku teleported beneath the hydra cupped his hands near the right hip area.

"Ka…Me…" Goku shouted loudly, a sphere of blue ki taking form in between his two palms. It grew far larger in size with the utterance of each syllable, mirroring the hydra's evolving gravity beams.

"Ha…Me…" the Saiyan martial artist continued more aggressively, beams of white-blue light spinning around the ki ball resting in his hands. Orange-yellow electricity was spat out by all four heads, combining to form one giant beam heading straight for Goku and the very planet itself!

"…HA!" Goku screamed ferociously, unleashing a gigantic stream of blue energy known to many as the Kamehameha, or Turtle Devastation Wave in other words. This renowned ki blast collided headfirst with the hydra's gravity beam, a momentary beam struggle taking place in response. However, due to Goku's superior abilities, his Kamehameha immediately trudged through the much smaller bolt and engulfed the hydra's entire form!

"GRAGAGGAGGA!" the unfortunate hydra screamed painfully as it was completely disintegrated by the Kamehameha and sent straight back to Tartarus where it came from. The blue beam continued moving into outer space and beyond, becoming one with the inky black cosmos as it reached closer to the sun. After making sure the monster was vanquished in every single way imaginable, Goku wiped some building sweat off of his forehead and let out a sigh of relief.

"Phew. That was a nice, little workout! Shame it wasn't stronger though. Oh well." Goku beamed in slight exhaustion, floating back down to where Artemis and the Hunters were patiently waiting. What confused him though was that he could sense their respective ki signatures, but couldn't see where they were in the heavily disheveled woods.

"Hey Artemis! I took care of the hydra thing like I said I—Oof!" Goku's casual greeting was interrupted by a small prick in his neck. The source of this stinging sensation was a small needle with pink feathers sprouting outward from its back. He held the small dart in his right hand while scratching the back of his black hair with the other.

"I wonder what this does…Awaaaaa…Why am I sleepy all of a su…sud—" Goku eyes grew droopier until he unexpectantly fell asleep, snoring away like the goofy 12-year-old he used to be. Hiding behind some surviving bushes and trees, Artemis approached the fallen Saiyan with each of her other Hunters aside from the still knocked out Zoë Nightshade.

"Well Goku can be caught off guard when distracted. That's one weakness to take note of." Artemis blandly summarized, smugly patting herself on the back for gaining the upper-hand with her astute marksmanship. Phoebe and some other girls observed the snoozing Saiyan like a frog waiting to be dissected, appalled by his childish expression.

"What now, m'lady? Do we bring him to Lord Zeus as promised?" Phoebe inquired with interest, more so focused on getting rid of Goku as soon as possible. Artemis shook her head negatively, dismissively gazing down at Goku in a different light after witnessing the Kamehameha's star-like glow just moments before.

"Not yet. We'll take him to Camp Half-Blood for further interrogation. I need to find out what that Kaioken and blue beam were exactly." Artemis proclaimed assuredly, wanting to gauge Goku's true power for use on Mount Olympus and, admittedly, more_ personal _reasons. Phoebe and the other hunters, absolutely despising the aforementioned demigod training ground with a burning passion, whined disappointedly.

"As you wish, Lady Artemis." Phoebe mumbled reluctantly, dragging Goku's heavy body along the dirt floor. The other Hunters carefully picked up Zoë's body as well and followed after the overly buff girl. As her followers followed the trail to Camp Half-Blood, Artemis stood behind to oversee the damages done to its forest of the same name.

"_Son Goku…What other horrors will he or his universe bring upon this world? I'll have to see for myself I suppose." _Artemis wondered tentatively, not even knowing what to think of the naïve Saiyan at this point. She regained her composure and decided to wait until Goku woke up, shuffling through the monster-infested wildlife of Camp Half-Blood Forest.

* * *

**Hello! Sorry for the late update, but I was really busy with my high school graduation party this week. Thanks to Ascandas for the suggestion to use a King Ghidorah inspired monster for this story. It's was a lot fun to describe its physical appearance and abilities, so thanks a lot! Next chapter will introduce some of the Camp Half-Blood staff and campers, but not Percy just yet since he's at school right now I think. Anyways, leave a favorite, follow, and/or review to tell me what you think! :)**

**Update (4/27/2020): I deleted the intro and outro that I originally posted here. I'll be placing them on a new, separate document instead to make them less intrusive to the actual story. **


	6. Campout

Chapter 6: Campout

The denizens of Camp Half-Blood were currently in a state of unrest after the strange spectacle that just took place. All forms of combat training, eating, or chit-chatting were put to a sudden halt after the gigantic explosion of blue energy that took place in the skies above. Each cabin representative of the 12 Olympians were rendered completely empty in an instant, demi-children of all ages filing out to get a closer look at the recent anomaly. Hesitant whispers were shared between a number of different groups, topics varying from its potential source to the faint sound of yelling that was rumored to be heard before said implosion took place.

"Did you guys feel that? It shook the entire forest!" One camper hissed in wide-eyed shock, uncertain of whether he should be frightened or blown away by this rare phenomenon.

"Who didn't, man? That light was as bright as the sun. You'd have to be blind not to notice it!" Another camper responded in awe, gesturing to the position where Goku recently fired his Kamehameha.

Comment after comment was continuously uttered by the frazzled half-breeds in this manner until two individuals rushed out of a large wooden house. This facility was a blue two-story building with three windows on each floor, sporting a large deck that encircled its surrounding exterior. Primarily called the Big House, it serves as the main administrative building for all of Camp Half-Blood, annually distributing quests and enlisting new campers.

One such practitioner of these tasks was a half-man, half-horse hybrid named Chiron. Fondly regarded as a legendary trainer of heroes, Chiron sported shaggy brown hair and a bushy beard to match. His eyebrows were equally pronounced, accentuating the intensity his dark brown eyes evidently possessed. From the waist up, he wore a brown suit jacket with a red tie and jade green sweater-vest hidden underneath. However, as all Centaurs are, Chiron had the lower body of a white horse, four legs and a flowing brown tail in all. Closely following after him was a more chubby man with curly black hair. His half-lidded blue eyes were practically bloodshot, sporting a sense of aggravation and tiredness. Unlike Chiron's more professional look, his fellow counselor had a yellow T-shirt filled with blotches of leopard spots and dried stains of leftover liquid. He held a can of Diet Coke in one of his hands, reluctantly taking swigs of the caffeinated beverage as if that was the only refreshment left available for him.

"Alright, brats! What's all the commission about?" The eccentric camp director yelled irritably, attempting to grasp the teenage heroes' attentions. A majority of the campers mellowed down at the sight of Camp Half-Blood's most trusted staff members, mostly looking over to Chiron for guidance.

"It was crazy, Mr. D! We were just minding our own business when suddenly, this enormous explosion appeared in the sky!" A son of Hermes yelped with widened eyes, pointing to the traces of excess smoke littered above them. Mr. D frowned unamusingly, looking up at the proposed area with prominent skepticism.

"You sure it wasn't the Stoll's lighting up another firecracker?" Mr. D blandly questioned with a raised eyebrow, momentarily side-glancing at the two troublesome brothers in question. Each of the teenage demi-gods possessed shaggy mops of curly brown hair and matching pairs of light blue pupils. One was noticeably taller than the other, but both kids were completely identical in every other feature. They casually averted Dionysus's accusatory gaze by whistling to themselves, showcasing their innocence in the usual sarcastic manner.

"There's no need to point fingers, Dionysus. I'm certain a reasonable explanation for what took place will come in time." Chiron interjected soothingly, clasping a hand on the wine patriarch's shoulder. Mr. D glared at the immortal centaur in response.

"We don't have time, Chiron. We either figure out the source of this "explosion" or jump to our next best conclusion and save us the headache. Gods know I've already had enough of those." Dionysus snapped irritably, thinking back to all of the hangovers he endured for years on end. As the banished Olympian massaged his perturbed forehead and took another sip of his Coke, a widespread series of rustles in the surrounding forest caught everyone's attention. One by one, Artemis and her wounded hunters came into view. To the continual shock of Camp Half-Blood's campers and staff, a wide majority of them were littered with deep gashes of dried blood and torn cloth. Others were knocked completely unconscious, caked with saggy blemishes and electrical scorch marks burned into their skin.

"Oh great. Here comes the cavalry." Dionysus sighed heavily, rolling his tired eyes as hunter after hunter proceeded to unexpectantly pile in. Suddenly, the form of Zöe Nightshade was gently carried by a quartet of young Hunters, her raven hair steadily shifting about as they moved. Unfortunately, no such delicacy was given to the snoozing Goku. The alien martial artist was dragged along the dirt-covered ground by his hands, pieces of grassy shrapnel and soil scattered around his orange Gi. This strange individual's presence further confused and intrigued the ever-watchful half-bloods, opinions varying among each group.

"Who's the buff dude?" One camper whispered with a tilt of his head.

"How can he still be sleeping with that much crap in his face?" Another chuckled in disbelief, pointing at Goku's buried face as he slept peacefully.

"Mmmm he has a great body…" An older daughter of Aphrodite commented lustfully.

"You think he's single?" Her sister asked a bit too eagerly.

This cacophony of adolescent chatter was marginally ignored by Chiron and Dionysus, both divine counselors patiently waiting for Artemis to reveal her purpose for being here. She calmly shuffled over to them, repositioning her bow and auburn hair in stride.

"Stop here, girls. Tend to the injured while we speak." Artemis advised authoritatively, sharing an acute nod with each of her fellow immortal females. Every archer did as they were told, coming to an abrupt halt and organizing the supplies scavenged from their recent confrontation with Goku and the Hydra. However, the girls pulling on Goku took this order a bit too literally and dropped the poor Saiyan in combined unison. His whole body plopped down with a firm splat, the once powerful snores now muffled into small gurgles. Artemis furrowed her eyebrows at this "accidental" mishap, deadpanning at the hunters' lack of care. They just shrugged innocently, not seeing what the big deal was in messing with the man who humiliated Zöe just moments ago.

"Greetings, Artemis. This is definitely a surprise." Chiron politely greeted with a slight smile. Artemis passively nodded in the centaur's direction, her face sporting a look of notable indifference.

"Believe me, it was never my, nor my huntresses', intention to come here. We were hunting a potential enemy of Mount Olympus per Lord Zeus's instructions and this was the closest area we could bring him to." Artemis sighed informingly, brushing her red hair backward while speaking. She gestured to her preoccupied legion of immortal women as they snarled at the residents of Camp Half-Blood, especially ones of the opposite sex. Dionysus lowly grumbled to himself, annoyed by the prospect of having to deal with even more hormonal teenagers than usual.

"Him? You mean the Bruce Lee wannabe over there?" Dionysus snorted in disbelief, jerking a thumb at the slumbering Goku. Overhearing bits and pieces of this conversation, some of the campers tilted their heads to the side in sheer bewilderment and curiosity. Chiron also listened intently, resting a hand on his bearded chin in deep thought. Artemis crossed her arms with a straight face, showing that she held no such dishonesty with what was stated.

"Yes, brother. He's the one who projected that blue light from before." Artemis revealed, narrowing her eyes as she casually pointing up at the sky. A series of collective gasps filled the entire camp in response to this revelation, each camper's interest in the Saiyan warrior skyrocketing exponentially. Dionysus blinked a few times in momentary shock, glancing at his soda can to see if it wasn't laced with any type of alcohol.

"You're kidding, right? There's no way a mortal could do that." Dionysus scoffed doubtfully, scanning Goku's body from head-to-toe for any sign of potential divinity.

"Well, this Son Goku as he calls himself is no ordinary mortal. He possesses superhuman strength and a supremely advanced mastery of martial arts. This strength, as I've witnessed, was powerful enough to harm a fully-grown hydra without the need of Celestial Bronze weapons." Artemis darkly accounted, her mind flickering back to the moment Goku used his Kaioken to kick said monster at unimaginable speeds. It was Chiron's turn to be by floored by this Goku's impressive feats, the immortal centaur never seeing any of the heroes he trained attain such achievements with little effort. However, another detail greatly unnerved him above all else.

"A-a hydra in Camp Half-Blood Forest? Are you positive?" Chiron gaped in uneasiness, wondering if the sight of this rare, yet incredibly powerful monster was the continually insidious work of his father. Artemis just nodded with closed eyes, her patience far past spent at this point.

"It was an elemental hydra with heightened regeneration abilities from what I saw. Goku was able to obliterate the beast and send it back to Tartarus somehow. The method of which I plan to find out in more ways than one." Artemis responded in assurance for the camp's safety, arching her head backward to observe Goku's form once more.

"So, if this Guko, or whatever his name is, is so tough, how did you manage to knock him out cold?" Dionysus pondered aloud with a quirked brow and squinted eyelids. In response, Artemis walked to the martial artist's side and squatted down. She plucked the Tranquilizer Dart from out of Goku's neck and delicately held it in between her fingertips.

"I used a special tranquilizer dart to temporarily sedate him for a few hours. Despite his power, he can be easily caught off-guard in certain situations like this one." Artemis explained in relief, still flabbergasted by how childish and fearsome Goku could be at the same time. Despite her own regenerative abilities, the goddess's wrist still stung a bit from when Goku grabbed it for some strange reason. Maybe Goku was far more powerful than he was initially letting on.

"Wait, you mean the same enhanced needles that can put fully grown Cyclopes into day or even month-long comas with one shot?!" Chiron interjected in reactionary surprise, noting that all of Artemis's projectile weapons had the potential to be sharper than any manmade blade.

"Unfortunately, that's all I could work with. Despite the additional sharpness of my darts, Goku's skin seems to be much more difficult to penetrate than any mortal I have previously come across. It seemed to go only way halfway as if there were some type of protective tissue layered over his body." Artemis grunted in frustration as she pricked her finger on the dart's pointed tip, a small streak of golden ichor momentarily trickling down.

Chiron and Dionysus looked at each other in concern, their own uncertainty of Goku's presence starting to affect their psyche.

"So, what are you waiting for then? He's practically gift-wrapped for Mount Olympus as we speak." Dionysus asked confusedly, uncertain in what Artemis's purpose was for bringing the spiky haired man-child here. Artemis, thankful that this conversation was finally coming to a close, simply pointed at her designated cabin. This vacant cabin, categorized as the eighth in Camp Half-Bloods total line up of twelve, was a silver building that shined brightly in the soon approaching moonlight.

"I realize that, Dionysus, but as a hunter, I need to further assess my prey before anything else can be done with it. In this case, I wish to interrogate Goku in my cabin and properly grasp the full extent of his abilities. Then, fate will decide what should be done with him on Olympus." Artemis justified her actions resolutely. Dionysus, not liking where this was going, slumped his shoulders and facepalmed.

"So, that means your hunters will be…"

"Sleeping here for the night? Absolutely." Artemis confirmed Dionysus's suspicions with a curt nod. The Greek God of Wine then sighed heavily, drinking a few more gulps of his pop can before rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Fine, fine. Do what you want, Artemis. Just let Dad know that I won't be a part of Kugo's trial when it happens." Dionysus surrendered passively, gesturing his hand aside as he attempted to walk back into the Big House.

"It's Goku." Artemis corrected her half-brother's error.

"Whatever." Mr. D yelled back with little care as he disappeared through the Big House's wooden doorway. Chiron just shook his head at Mr. D's typical behavior, addressing Artemis, her hunters, and the remaining campers in said wine patron's place.

"Take all the time you need, Artemis. I assure you that the utmost hospitality will be given to you and your hunters. Erm, and your… "guest" as well." Chiron advised calmly in a sage-like demeanor, putting air quotes in relation to Goku's current state-of-being. He then frowned at Camp Half-Blood's usual suspects, giving them a disapproving stink eye. The Stoll Brothers and a handful of Hermes' children just grinned with faux innocent. However, Ares's children, muscular teens with diabolical sneers, were challengingly staring at the Hunters of Artemis as if they were all hunks of meat ready to be beaten.

"Thank you, Chiron." Artemis responded with a small smile of gratitude. She then raised her hand as a signal for the Hunters to move out.

"Come along, girls. Make sure Son Goku is properly restrained and guarded at all times. At least, until he wakes up." Artemis ordered authoritatively in some sense of warning as she shuffled toward her cabin. With that, each of the goddess's teenage followers proceeded to follow their ladyship's lead, some staying behind to pick up Goku and Zöe as done beforehand. As all of the hunters piled into Cabin #8, Camp Half-Blood's demi-gods spared quick glances at Goku once more, silently wondering if the alleged powers shared by Artemis were actually true or not.

Chiron, noticing that everyone's attentions were transfixed on the happenings taking place within Artemis's cabin, awkwardly cleared his throat a few times to break their enticed "trance" and get things back under control.

"Alright, everyone. Who's up for Capture the Flag?" Chiron suggested with a resigned clap of his hands. At the mention of partaking in Camp Half-Blood's most popular and potentially dangerous game, all of the campers roared to life in excitement.

* * *

_In Aphrodite's Temple…_

Ares, still immensely infuriated by Aphrodite's betrayal, stormed into her temple with sinister intentions playing inside of his head. The aforementioned love goddess was still writing around in her long-time lover's arms, desperately seeking a way to protect Goku from what was about to become. Her porcelain face was now a beat red, lit up from embarrassment and rage.

"Let go of me, Ares! Goku did nothing wrong!" Aphrodite growled violently, struggling to overpower the war god's Olympian strength with her own. Her long hair shifted into a burnt orange, practically flowing like that of a raging fire. Ares snapped at the mention of his "rival's" name, grinding his teeth hard enough to shred any known metal. He unceremoniously dropped Aphrodite onto her bed, grunting lowly as he did so. The daughter of Ouranos plopped onto the soft mattress, almost falling off due to Ares' lack of care.

"Nothing wrong?! Hah! That punk ass alien was _dead_ the moment he got your attention!" Ares fumed hatefully, pointing at Aphrodite with an accusatory finger. Despite the fact that Aphrodite had a multitude of human lovers in the past, something about Goku drove him absolutely insane beyond godly comprehension. The fact that Goku, a being comparably stronger than himself and any other Greek God, won the affections of _his_ woman without even trying was all the justification he needed to know that Goku needed to be wiped out of existence.

"That wasn't his fault! I can't help feeling what I feel. It just happened…" Aphrodite almost whispered with half-lidded green eyes. She bit her bottom lip, the thought of Goku being pursued as an enemy worrying her to no end. The sight of Aphrodite hugging herself in deep sadness would have calmed Ares in any other situation if it weren't for the fact that a so-called Saiyan was clouding her thoughts minute after minute. This just made his temper practically reach sub-atomic levels of infuriation.

"Please understand, Ares. Even though I love Goku, there's still love for you as well." Aphrodite attempted to soothe the God of War's rage by delicately cupping his cheek. To Ares' surprise, the practitioner of love suddenly wore a white dress commonly associated with women from Ancient Greece. Her long hair became a light brunette, tied into a bun with coiled strands flowing outward near her ears. It was almost as if she were a surviving relic of their first date brought back from the past. Before Ares could properly respond to the welcoming touch, Aphrodite slightly pulled away and touched her chest with a delicate hand.

"But… with Goku, I don't feel afraid to be myself. He doesn't see me as an object of desire and actually seems to care about the person behind my beauty. His big smile… his pure of heart… his immense power… Everything about him is so warm and inviting to me!" Aphrodite mused with a warm smile and closed eyelids, her cheeks burning a rosier red than ever before. This was the absolute breaking point for Ares, his punishment for Aphrodite's errors now coming into full fruition. A wide smirk etched from ear-to-ear, the explosions in his sunglasses steadily expanding in terms of size and overall combustion.

"Tsk. But, there's one thing that Saiyan moron won't give you." Ares chuckled lowly in pure anticipation. His eyes silently scanned Aphrodite's voluptuous body from top to bottom, blindly ignoring her uncomfortable expression.

"Ares. W-what are you doing?" Aphrodite stammered in nervousness, slowly inching to away from her lover to another portion of the bed. Before she could properly sense Ares's overwhelming feelings of lust, the son of Zeus pounced on the beautiful Olympian like a speeding bulldozer. Using his muscular stature, Ares pinned Aphrodite's arms on the mattress and positioned himself on top of her legs, so she wouldn't be able to struggle as much.

"No _man _will ever be able to give you the amount of pleasure I can. Not even that off-worlder." Ares sneered with desire, alluringly whispering into her ear. Aphrodite, admittedly having many similar experiences with Ares over the past 1000 years, could not deny this bold claim, but was still disheartened by the advance regardless.

"Let me go, Ares. This wouldn't be out of love and you know it." Aphrodite muttered in protest, knowing the amount of emotional instability Ares was going through right now. Still persistent as ever, Ares began tracing kisses down Aphrodite's earlobe and neck area. This sent shockwaves of electricity throughout Aphrodite's body, a wave of heat starting to generate all throughout.

"Come on, babe. There's nothing wrong with a little bit of lust once in a while. You should know with that Saiyan punk running around." Ares persisted enticingly, passive aggressively discounting Goku as just another fling in Aphrodite's long list of lovers. Ares then attempted to kiss Aphrodite's lips, but was rebuffed by a swift turn of her head.

"I already told you. My feelings for Goku are not solely out of lust." Aphrodite argued irritably, her green eyes sparkling with traces of pink energy. Ares, seeing that he still wasn't getting to her, scowled in disgust and increased the pressure on her arms.

"Face it, Aphrodite. As soon as that rat bastard is transported to his own universe, you'll forgot all about him. Now let's get back to-" Ares was interrupted by the sensation of Aphrodite steadily rising up from her position on the bed. Her beautiful face took a complete 180 in terms of mood, both eyes narrowed dangerously.

"No…" Aphrodite glowered angrily, the magenta hue of her irises glowing even more vibrant. Ares was left agape by this sudden display of divine power, never seeing Aphrodite in a such a bad mood. Well, at least not with him as the unfortunate victim of her proposed wrath.

"I'm sorry, Ares, but Goku needs me right now. There's nothing you, Zeus, and the others can do to stop me." Aphrodite claimed with the utmost confidence, her own anger steadily building by the second. Ares began to shake uncontrollably in pure rage, his inability to convince Aphrodite taking a toll on his already inflated ego.

"That is complete bullshit, Aphrodite! YOU BELONG TO ME! NO ONE ELSE!" Ares shouted in Aphrodite's face, orange flames shooting out of his jacket and glasses. However, just before he could make another forceful advance, Aphrodite's true power was finally unleashed!

"I said… NO!" Aphrodite screamed powerfully, her eyes, hair, and white skin now shining a vibrant pink. In that moment, a gigantic beam of the same color was projected from her chest. This Love Blast violently slammed into Ares, sending him flying into the nearest wall of the temple. He smash straight into the temple's marble surface, leaving a sizable indentation of cracks and broken furniture. Before Ares could recover from this unexpected attack, Aphrodite immediately snapped her fingers in quick succession. This action caused large vines to grow from within the damaged walls, each sporting gigantic thorns and rose petals of varying colors. These sharp plants coiled around Ares's arms, legs, throat, and, worst of all, his private parts, deeply piercing the skin in a slow, painful manner.

"Gyaaaah!" Ares cried out in immense pain with widened eyes, small streams of golden ichor trickling downward from each wound. The overly violent god was left completely helpless, each thorn getting deeper the more he struggled to break free. Aphrodite simply crossed her arms, observing the pain Ares inadvertently brought upon himself.

"This won't hold you for long, but it will still give me enough time to see if Goku is safe. I hope you forgive me one day." Aphrodite explained with some regret, taking a deep breath of resignation before preparing to reach Camp Half-Blood. Ares slowly shifted his head over to Aphrodite, teeth clenched in absolute vitriol.

"W-we're not finished here, Aphrodite! If you see that Saiyan, tell him to be ready to fight me one-on-one!" Ares balked angrily; the vines wrapped around his throat making it increasingly more difficult to speak. Aphrodite stopped in place for a moment to observe her immortal lover's pitiful state, her red lips twitched in a melancholic frown.

"Knowing Goku, he might enjoy that." Aphrodite remarked with a pained smile, not wanting to see two carriers of her affections forcefully battle it out. She then waved her hands around slightly, projecting the likeness of a large cloud. She then hopped aboard the Flying Nimbus-like mount and rocketed down toward the mortal world, skipping the Empire State Building's elevator in order to avoid any sort of detection from Zeus or any other inhabitants of Olympus.

Back in the temple, Aphrodite's departure and continual acts of betrayal only fueled Ares's innermost abilities. Thoughts of killing Goku, even if completely impossible, through various means caused sparks of flame to steadily burst all around his body in the form of a towering wall that brimmed with life and energy.

"GRRRAAAGH!" Ares shouted with all the strength he could muster, unleashing the combustible wall on each portion of his body. While temporarily scorching his skin and jacket, this minor display of Pyrokinesis instantaneously melted the vines created from Aphrodite, removing all sorts of thorns from his wrists and ankles. Still sore from the multiple stab wounds and cuts, Ares collapsed onto his knees and breathed sporadically from pain-laced exhaustion. As soon as his regenerative powers caught up with him, Ares slowly stood up and clenched each of his fists hard enough to draw blood. He then retrieved his spear and slammed it into the ground, cracked shards of tile flying in separate directions. He then analyzed the spot where Aphrodite departed, already knowing where she would be heading to.

"Well, if it's war they want, it's _war_ they'll definitely get." Ares muttered to himself with a maniacal grin. He then took off his sunglasses, revealing red pupils filled with nothing but the carnage of nuclear holocaust. With that last threat, Ares tucked away his shades and followed after the love goddess, already having a good idea of how he would reach Camp Half-Blood beforehand.

* * *

_Camp Half-Blood _

Goku's pupils steadily fluttered open to witness yet another location he was completely unfamiliar with. Very confused and currently having a splitting migraine, he adjusted the position of his head to examine the surrounding premises. It seemed to be a large silver room filled with a wide assortment of beds similar to the one he was now lying in. Some extended to other rooms in the building, a wide majority of them occupied by more critically harmed Hunters of Artemis. The happy-go-lucky Saiyan blinked a few times to alleviate the cabin's blinding light, quirking his brow in puzzlement.

"Ugh how did I get here? And why does my mouth taste like dirt?" Goku asked himself confusedly, sporting a look of childish revulsion whilst sticking out his tongue. His line of sight then closed in on two extremely muscular girls standing in front of the bed. Each of them stared straight ahead as if they were motionless statues, both holding razor sharp hunting knives and their own set of bow-and-arrows. Relieved by the sight of people he could talk to, Goku smiled widely and attempted to stand up.

"Oh hi! Could you tell me where-" As soon as Goku moved up, one of the knives was tossed at the wall near his head. Part of his black locks were cleaved by the small weapon's blade as it spun around, securely indenting itself into the silver stone. Goku comically stepped backward, his black eyes shrunken from surprise at this sudden action. The huntresses glared menacingly at the alien man, Goku's open friendliness not deterring their bias towards the opposite sex.

"Quiet, _Son Goku_. You will be held prisoner here until Lady Artemis comes back. She wishes to speak with you." Phoebe seethed informingly, pointing to Goku's currently restrained hands for emphasis. Goku tilted his head to the side, not noticing the thick layer of rope tightly coiled around his wrists until now. Goku could obviously break out of this "trap" if he wanted to, but it was better to come quietly instead of causing more trouble. He already had enough enemies as is, so making more in this world wouldn't help much.

"O-oh… well, do you know when she'll be back?" Goku awkwardly inquired, shifting his compromised position to sit Indian style on the mattress. Phoebe and her fellow Hunter of Artemis just scoffed at Goku's question, the latter her the previously thrown knife.

"All you need to know is that she will be back shortly. It's night and preparations for departure in the morning need to be made." Phoebe grunted in response, gazing at the moon as it brightly illuminated through the cabin's glass window. Goku's jaw dropped at the mention of what time it was, his eye widened to the size of saucers.

"IT'S NIGHT?! How long was I asleep for?!" Goku gasped loudly, struggling to recall what happened to him after the hydra's defeat. Due to Goku's irksome reaction causing some of the sleeping Hunters to groggily stir awake, Phoebe roared with rage and prepared to rip Goku a new one.

"Approximately 5 hours. It could have been more, so be thankful that the effects of my dart weren't at their normal potency." Artemis responded from the doorway, her body leaning against the wall with crossed arms. Phoebe and Goku's other guard immediately stopped what they were doing, lowly kneeling to the ground in their mistress's presence. Goku was also transfixed by the moon goddess's abrupt appearance, barely sensing her energy from the doorway.

"Lady Artemis. Shall we begin the interrogation?" Phoebe asked curiously with a frown, side-glancing at Goku's form with immense suspicion. Artemis nodded in agreement, resting one of her hands on the ginger-haired tracking specialist's shoulder.

"I can take it from here, girls. I need to speak with Goku privately." Artemis excused the two huntresses with an appreciative smile. At the mention of Artemis being alone with such a dangerous man, Phoebe began to sport a look of reluctance.

"Are you certain, Lady Artemis? He was able to harm you earlier." Phoebe recalled worryingly, thinking back to the moment Goku was able to make said daughter of Zeus bleed when no one else could. Artemis shook her head negatively in assurance, admittedly wanting to forget that embarrassing moment ever happened.

"I'll be fine, Phoebe. I've endured far worse men than him." Artemis soothed Phoebe's concerns with a warm grin. Due to her answer holding more truth than implied, Phoebe accepted defeat and walked toward the cabin's exit. However, before leaving, she gave Goku the stink eye and crossed a finger over her throat. Said Saiyan just gulped nervously, still feeling a bit threatened by the large girl despite her comparatively low power level.

"I apologize for Phoebe's behavior. She's had bad experiences with men in the past. A wide majority of my hunters have." Artemis respectfully exclaimed, setting up a chair in front of the bed Goku was sitting on. She then sat down, positioning herself in a formal manner that exuded confidence. She fixed her hair into a long, auburn ponytail as per usual and icily gazed at Goku, patiently waiting for his response.

"It's alright I guess. They honestly remind me of some friends I had back home." Goku admitted with a light chuckle, recalling the time blonde-haired Launch would riddle Master Roshi with bullets for his perverted antics. At the mention of his "home", Artemis decided to get her most important question out of the way.

"Your home… what is that like exactly?" Artemis asked interestedly, never once dealing with alternate universes completely different in function and appearance to her own. Goku was slightly caught off-guard by this question, the feeling of homesickness still prominent within his psyche. However, Artemis's cluelessness also puzzled Goku, his head tilted to the side in befuddlement.

"Shouldn't you know that already? I mean Zeus did order you to hunt me, right?" Goku audibly wondered, initially figuring that the Olympians would study everything about him before initiating any sort of battle. Artemis just huffed at this factual assessment, already frustrated enough with her father's vague instructions.

"Yes, but all he revealed to me was your appearance and the fact that you were from another universe. Before my hunters and I confronted you, we knew nothing about your abilities or level of strength." Artemis grumbled in annoyance, baffled by the mess Lord Zeus intentionally put her through.

"Guess that didn't work out as planned, huh? Hehe…" Goku sniggered lightheartedly with closed eyes and a toothy grin. Artemis just glared daggers at the Saiyan for his poor attempt at a joke, traces of silver energy surrounding her body and irises.

"Erm sorry. That was uncalled for." Goku admitted apologetically, looking away from Artemis's searing stare. Artemis immediately calmed herself, wanting to keep any sort of emotion under control this interrogation session was over.

"No, you're right. Ambushing you was a disaster waiting to happen for everyone involved. I'm surprised the needle in my tranquilizer dart was able to affect you." Artemis accepted the head Z-Fighter's apology, thankful for the fact that this questioning was even able to take place without any unnecessary hassle. Goku suddenly froze in place after hearing the last sentence, his skin paling to a ghostly white.

"W-what did you say about that dart?" Goku stammered in growing fear, his body instinctively squirming about. Not knowing what the martial artist was going on about, Artemis raised an eyebrow and took out the same dart that sedated Goku hours prior.

"The needle of this dart is much sharper than man-made ones. I was able to shoot you in the neck with it and temporarily deactivate all functions in the body. However, as I've stated before, your immune system seemed to work faster than the average human's." Artemis explained once again, holding the needle's triangular tip in front of Goku's face. At the mention of a needle stabbing his body, Goku pathetically crawled to another portion of the mattress and curled up in a makeshift fetal position.

"C-can you put that away, please? I-it's making me kind of… uh… uncomfortable." Goku whimpered slightly, desperately trying to suppress a scream of absolute horror threatening to break out. Artemis peered at Goku strangely before doing as he asked and placing the dart back in her pocket. After making sure the dart was gone for good, Goku took a deep breath and regained his lost composure.

"T-thank you. I have a huge fear of needles, so knowing that one touched me just brought back some bad memories." Goku justified his fearful reaction, shuddering in recollection of the time he was forced to go to the hospital after Vegeta crippled him. Artemis did not expect Goku to have such a small weakness. This man was able to kick a mature hydra without any sort of fear, yet mere syringes were what he was afraid of?!

"You do realize small children are able to deal with needles just fine, right? They are completely harmless and, depending on the type, beneficial in most cases." Artemis pointed out amusedly, unable to comprehend the reason for Goku's completely ludicrous fear. Goku just pouted defiantly, not knowing where his uncontrollable Trypanophobia originated from himself.

"I know, I know. They just rub me the wrong way, okay?" Goku whined with slumped shoulders, continuing to frown like a moody child. Artemis couldn't help but feel amused by Goku's innocent demeanor, making a mental note about this fear of needles and how she could use it to her advantage later on.

"Anyways, I think my enhanced immune system is based on the fact that I'm not really human." Goku proceeded with the conversation, unveiling his true heritage. Pleased by the fact that she was correct in her initial assumptions, Artemis's interest in their discussion was piqued once more.

"Then what exactly are you?" Artemis asked intently, her eyebrows furrowed in complete seriousness.

"I'm a Saiyan. They were a race of ruthless warriors from the Planet Vegeta who sought to become the strongest in the universe. Every Saiyan closely resembled humans in some way, but possessed brown monkey tails as well." Goku introduced the basic details of his species, including their general appearance and motivations. The concept of extraterrestrial life was far from Artemis's expertise, but she supposed that with so many deities and mythological creatures out there, aliens wouldn't be that far of a stretch if they did indeed exist somewhere in the ever-expansive universe.

"What was the purpose for these monkey tails exactly?" Artemis wondered, assuming that there was an evolutionary justification for possessing such appendages.

"Well, during the full moon, having a tail could cause Saiyans to transform into gigantic monkeys known as Oozaru, or Great Apes, that could increase their already existing power by 10. However, only the strongest Saiyans could retain their intelligence while in this form. Otherwise, you'll go on an uncontrollable rampage that can't be stopped until the morning comes around. It's one of the reasons I permanently removed mine years ago." Goku gravely described with saddened eyes, noting the time he accidentally killed Grandpa Gohan during one of these uncontrollable metamorphoses. Artemis was amazed by the unique nature of this race, inwardly comparing the Oozaru phenomenon to Lycaon and other victims of Lycanthropy. Based on Goku's reactions, she could also gather that certain Saiyans might have barely remembered turning into said abnormally sized primates.

"I'm guessing you're different from the rest of your race, correct?" Artemis boldly presumed from Goku's visible body language and overall goofy behavior. Goku's sadness was swiftly dissolved at the mention of this inference, looking up at the immortal goddess in curiosity.

"What makes you say that?" Goku questioned with a rapid blink of his eyes. Artemis just shrugged her shoulders absentmindedly, her red lips twitched upward in what could best be interpreted as a flat smile.

"You described the Saiyans as ruthless and power hungry in terms of behavior. Despite this, you seem to fight for fun or when it is completely necessary. For example, you only decided to take action against my huntresses and I when I implied that Aphrodite was in some sort of danger. Am I right?" Artemis proclaimed her observations with squinted eyes.

"I guess you put it that way, yeah. The Saiyans were known for killing the innocent and destroying entire planets, so that's something I would **never **do. Plus, Aphrodite is my friend and I_ always_ protect those closest to me." Goku partially agreed with Artemis's assessment, his blood boiling just thinking about the utter chaos Saiyan elites were responsible for creating. However, they were, of course, the biproduct of an even greater monster.

Artemis felt unnerved by Goku's nature in contrast with other males she has interacted with. While other Greek heroes could be selfish or downright greedy at times, Goku seemed to be the complete opposite. While getting stronger was still important to him like any other Saiyan, he also had a child-like purity to him that made his existence all the more intriguing. It honestly altered her perceptions of what his exact purpose for being here was.

"You consider Aphrodite a friend? Even when she was responsible for sending you to this world in the first place?" Artemis queried in pure astonishment, curious as to why Goku wasn't angry with the love goddess for intentionally separating him from his aforementioned friends and family.

"I was angry at first, but then I realized being transported here was the most of fun I've had in a long time! Ever since my-" Goku cut himself off at the mention of Chi-Chi, feeling that it was too painful just mentioning his beloved wife's name or what happened to her. Artemis was floored by Goku's swift change in mood, noticing the true sense of despair laced in his obsidian orbs.

"E-ever since I lost someone very special to me, I haven't been able to eat, sleep, or fight as well as I used to. Now, because of Aphrodite, I got to eat a full course meal, fight you and a hydra, and get the best sleep I've had in quite a while! I should honestly be thanking her!" Goku beamed happily with a large smile, unintentionally breaking apart the ropes tied around his hands with rejuvenated strength. Looking at his newly freed hands, Goku sheepishly scratched the back of his head.

"Oops. I guess it was now of never, huh?" Goku commented in slight embarrassment with a care-free shrug. Artemis carefully thought over Goku's words of positivity in relation to what Aphrodite did for him, his happiness becoming somewhat infectious. However, she couldn't help, but wonder about Goku's past experiences and who the person he lost truly was. Judging by what he revealed, the moon goddess had a feeling death was a very common experience for him.

"That's all well and good, Goku, but I still need to bring you to Mount Olympus. Based on that hydra's appearance in the woods, there may be more monsters attracted to your power. Some that are potentially even stronger and more aggressive." Artemis reminded the Saiyan prodigy, still focusing on the instructed task at hand. Goku nodded in agreement, hiding his excitement for the prospect of more mythological creatures coming after him.

"I understand, Artemis. I don't want to cause anymore trouble than I already have. If you bring me there, I'll come willingly." Goku promised in understanding, not seeing much issue in being tried by the terms of a universe outside of his own. He also wouldn't mind meeting some of the other Olympians based on the actions they have displayed in Aphrodite's memories. Even if most of their exploits were not the most just or righteous, the prospect of interacting with gods and goddesses different from the Kais could be interesting.

"I appreciate the sentiment, Goku. We'll travel back to the Empire State Building first thing in the morning." Artemis stated in respect for Goku's cooperation, genuinely smiling this time around. The sight of this smile caused Goku to actually take notice of Artemis's eyes. While they were a bright gold during their first confrontation with each other, her pupils were now shifted into a silvery gray, practically sparkling in the glowing moonlight. Goku was about comment on this change, but was interrupted by a distracted Artemis.

"But first…" Artemis interjected with a raised finger. Her eyes were now narrowed with determination, staring straight into Goku's very soul.

"Yeah?" Goku asked with a raised eyebrow while instinctively brushing his hair backward.

"You need to tell me what the Kaioken is. As well as what you did to destroy that hydra from before." Artemis demanded, getting into Goku's face to show that she meant business.

"Oh you mean the Kamehameha?" Goku simply replied, inching away from Artemis's body to regain some much-needed space. One of Artemis's eyes twitched at this absurd name, wondering if the Saiyan was mocking her.

"Why are you mentioning a Hawaiian king as the name of your attack?" Artemis deadpanned, sporting an acute knowledge of many cultures from past hunting expeditions. Goku, having no idea what a Hawaiian was, shook his head and further explained the origins of his signature technique.

"What? No, the Kamehameha is a blast of blue energy that can be unleashed from a person's hands. It was invented by a martial arts expert known as Master Roshi and has been my go-to attack ever since I learned it from him." Goku emphasized the Kamehameha's functions, even cupping his hands together to demonstrate how it is released. At the mention of learning this oddly named chi blast, Artemis grew more anticipated to see it up close and personal.

"Hmmm would you mind showing me this Kamehameha?" Artemis asked, her tone of voice a bit more demanding than intended. Goku, not seeing the harm in doing so, gave her a thumbs up and nodded enthusiastically.

"Not at all. I can show you the Kaioken as well." Goku kindly agreed with Artemis's suggestion, always wanting to pass down his skills in some way.

"Good. I'll lead you to the training ground. Some of the Hunters might be there, so watch yourself." Artemis informed with a pleased nod, gathering her possessions and heading for the cabin's door. Goku just massaged his throat, hoping that Phoebe or the newly awakened Zöe and Phoebe wouldn't be shooting there.

"Oh yeah. What happened to your eyes?" Goku asked as he followed closely behind her. Artemis suddenly stopped in place, unsure of what the son of Bardock meant.

"Pardon me?" Artemis responded ignorantly.

"Before your eyes were gold, but now they're a bright silver. Why is that?" Goku questioned, confused by the sudden change in aesthetic.

"Ah that's what you meant. All gods and goddesses have the inherent ability to change their appearance at will. For me, I can be seen with red hair and gold irises like before or dark black hair and silver eyes like it is now. Silver is a bit better for night vision, so that's why I switched all of a sudden." Artemis clarified Goku's most recent inquisition. Goku was fascinated by the detailed description, originally believing that Aphrodite was the only Greek deity with this ability.

"Well, they look nice." Goku complimented offhandedly as he continued walking with both arms crossed behind his head. Artemis, not expecting this comment, stood frozen in place for a moment with widened eyes. She then scoffed to herself and quickened the pace of her stride, not even thanking Goku for what he said.

"Hey wait up, Artemis!" Goku shouted out in slight concern, speedily jogging to catch up with the virgin goddess. The two then walked through Camp Half-Blood's grounds, each of them equally confused as to what took place.

* * *

**Hey guess who's not dead? XD Sorry about the very, very late update, guys, but college and work have been a bit overwhelming lately. I also got into a car accident (no one was hurt thankfully), so that was also a bit difficult to deal with. Anyways, I hope to update more of this story and all three of my other stories later this month, so look forward to those chapters when they come. I'm also going to try increasing the length of my chapters, so each story doesn't seem like they're progressing super slowly. As always, please leave a favorite, follow, and/or review to tell me what you think.**

**Also, in September, I worked on a Ben 10/One Punch Man crossover called The Hunter's Monomyth with i4md347h. Check out his profile if you want to read that story or his own My Hero Academia/One Punch Man crossover, The Hunter Amongst Villains.**

**P.S. Future chapters will not have the intro and outro. Sorry if those seemed intrusive to some people, but I thought it was a cool idea at the time. **


	7. Love and War

Chapter 7: Love and War

Despite being confused by Artemis's swift change in attitude, Goku proceeded following her to Camp Half-Blood's training area. Goku thought it best not to question the divine huntress's strange reaction to his compliment, so instead, he decided to pass the time by curiously perusing Camp Half-Blood's surrounding area. The Saiyan, of course, had never experienced any type of summer camp before, so everything about this place seemed fairy unique, even by the standards of what he's seen in his own universe. Goku noticed that a wide majority of the campers were seated in some type of mess hall. Each of them were around 12 to 18-years-old and were categorized into 12 individual tables that seemed to signify a respective god/goddess. These tables surrounded a large bonfire that some demi-children, to his aghast disbelief, were dropping large sums of food into.

"A-Artemis, why are those kids wasting all of that food?!" Goku gasped in utter horror, watching helplessly as sums of meat and grapes were swiftly burnt to a crisp. Artemis, still a bit perplexed from Goku's comment earlier, partially side-glanced at the overgrown goof and rolled her currently silver eyes.

"Offering meals is seen as a tribute to the other gods and I. The demigods of Camp Half-Blood are expected to partake in this tradition before every meal, especially dinners like this one. Calling it a waste isn't very respectful, Goku." The moon goddess scolded informatively, gesturing to the collective of orange-shirted children as they prepared to chow down after their respective offering was given. Goku shrunk a bit in embarrassment, feeling apologetic for his hunger-induced impulse.

"O-oh, alright. But, how does that work exactly? I thought the Olympians had their own food to eat." Goku desperately questioned, his brain unable to comprehend the concept of food being used for anything other than eating.

"Of course we do. We just like the smell of mortal delicacies from time to time. It helps soothe us in a way." Artemis calmly replied, breathing in and out to absorb the refreshing nourishment of newly scorched meat.

"That's… weird." Goku trailed off in bewilderment, quirking a single eyebrow at Artemis's visible look of content. Finished with inhaling the aroma of Camp Half-Blood's prepared meals, Artemis shook her head and slightly giggled at Goku's stunned reaction. This further caught the martial artist off-guard because from what little he's seen of her; Artemis didn't seem like the type to laugh very much. Even more bizarre was the fact that her laugh, despite its short duration, sounded fairly radiant and bubbly, admittedly unfitting of a cold, battle-hardened huntress such as herself. In this short moment, Goku couldn't help, but wonder if there was more to her personality than he previously assumed.

"Hehe I suppose you could think of it that way. Us gods do have our own peculiarities and quirks like any other living thing." Artemis honestly proclaimed with a close eyed smile. Her face then shifted back to its usual look of indifference and seriousness as both of them trudged closer to Camp Half-Blood's archery range.

"I guess that's true. The ones back in my universe were pretty odd too, now that I think about it." Goku agreed with Artemis's light-hearted sentiment, thinking back to his initial meeting with Supreme Kai and how ominous he appeared at first glance. Mentioning gods outside of the Greek, Egyptian, or Norse Pantheons immediately reignited Artemis's intrigue in Goku and the closely related circumstances of his upbringing.

"You've managed to interact with the creator deities of your own dimension?! What were they like?" Artemis backpedaled inquisitively, turning her head to stare into Goku's obsidian orbs. Goku just stroked his chin in response, trying his best to put the Kais' mysterious existence into words.

"W-Well, the closest thing I've come to meeting with a race of "gods" were the Kais. However, even now, I'm not certain if they could really be called that." Goku mused confoundedly, his eyes narrowed in deep concentration and puzzlement.

"How do you figure?" Artemis asked curiously.

"Don't get me wrong, the Kais are definitely capable of performing some amazing feats. Heck, one of them helped me learn the Kaioken about 10 years ago." Goku acknowledged respectfully with a small grin, showcasing his gratitude for what King Kai was able to teach him back in Otherworld. Artemis's eyes steadily widened at this new revelation.

"Really?! Your technique… was created by some sort of god?!" The moon goddess stuttered in abject amazement, her interest in said power multiplier now accentuated tenfold.

"Yeah, his name is King Kai and he lives in Otherworld, an alternate dimension where people go when they die. He's a pretty funny guy once you get to know him better, specifically when it comes to telling jokes and puns. I was actually on his planet before… erm… all of this stuff happened." Goku described the aforementioned Lord of Worlds in minor detail, awkwardly gesturing to the foreign world presiding around him. Purposefully neglecting to mention this so-called King Kai's juvenile fixation on bad puns, Artemis was unable to wrap her head around the fact that Goku visited this postmortem Otherworld multiple times over.

"If this King Kai has a planet in the afterlife as you've said, are you implying that—" Artemis pondered in growing disturbance and bafflement.

"I'm dead? Nah don't be ridiculous. However, I have died about two times in the past; both of which were done as sacrifices for the greater good." Goku assured with an amused grin, carelessly mentioning his prior confrontations with both Raditz and Cell. Artemis simply scoffed in a mix of shock and denial, not at all buying the validity of Goku's improbable claims. No matter powerful Goku truly was, mortals like him did not have the luxury, or curse, of eternal life and would inevitably pass away at some point.

"T-That's preposterous! No mortal should ever be able to escape death, let alone twice. Either you're lying to me or greatly exaggerating the circumstances of these "sacrifices" as you've called them." Artemis rashly accused with a defiant cross of her arms. Goku sighed at the goddess's prolonged skepticism and began to sport a somewhat serious grimace.

"Look, Artemis. I know it may seem hard to swallow, but keep in mind, I live in a universe far different than yours. The standards of death back home are probably more lenient than it is here. For one thing, we have magical objects known as the Dragon Balls." Goku calmly assured Artemis, utilizing items exclusive to his own world as foolproof evidence that he has died in the past.

"Dragon Balls?" Artemis quietly asked, tilting her head to the side with growing interest. Goku nodded in confirmation, preparing to introduce the very spheres that inadvertently led to the start of his extensive career as a martial artist.

"They're seven orange spheres created by a race of slug people known as the Namekians. Each of them have red stars that indicate their respective number such as the One-Star Ball, Two-Star Ball, Three-Star Ball, Four-Star Ball, and so on. When someone collects all of them, that person will gain the ability to summon Shenron, a ginormous dragon that can grant any wish ranging from immortality, money, and, in my case and many others, resurrection from the dead." Goku explained from memory, keeping his description of the Dragon Balls as short as possible without making their existence seem too complicated. Artemis was amazed by the sheer power these Dragon Balls were implied to possess, unnerved by the prospect of a normal human gaining immortality with just one simple command.

"So, you're saying that this Shenron was used to wish you back to life?" Artemis cautiously inquired.

"For the first time, yeah. I have a wicked smart friend named Bulma who created a radar that could track the Dragon Balls and identify where they were located on a map. Ever since I was about 12, we've been going on adventures to find them and make sure they didn't fall into the wrong hands. This eventually extended to Namek itself years later since we found out that the Namekians had their own set of Dragon Balls to find." Goku answered whilst nostalgically reminiscing about his initial journeys with Bulma, Yamcha, Oolong, and the others. As images of all his friends and family subconsciously emerged, he began to ponder how long it would take for him to return home, or if he would even be able to come back to begin with.

"_Going on adventures at the age of 12?! He's more similar to Hercules and other heroes of old than I've realized. Come to think of it, a younger version of him wouldn't be that out-of-place among these demi-gods." _Artemis thought to herself, tilting her head to observe the youngest inhabitants of Camp Half-Blood as they continued eating. Being an alien, Artemis inferred that Goku was most likely stronger than the average human even before his training began.

"Ahem, interesting. What makes these Dragon Balls different from the others, Goku?" The immortal huntress stated curiously, uncertain if both sets of Dragon Balls were wholly distinct from one another.

"Not much. While the Dragon Balls on Earth only had the ability to grant one wish, Namek's, which were a lot larger in size, could grant up to three. However, a major setback my friends and son, Gohan, had to deal with was that Porunga, the eternal dragon equivalent to Shenron, could only understand the native Namekian language and thus, could only be summoned by a member of that same species." Goku informed with a shrug, pointing out the Namekian Dragon Ball's various pros and cons. The word, "son", particularly caught Artemis's attention, but she decided to discuss the implications of Goku's family at some other point in time. After all, she could already spot the painted targets indicative of Camp Half-Blood's archery range within her line of sight.

"The two do share some features, though. After a wish or wishes are granted, both Dragon Balls turn to stone and need to recharge for about a year. They will also permanently turn to stone if their creator is killed or suddenly passes away. That factor was one of the reasons Bulma, Krillin, and Gohan had to travel to Namek after the Saiyans invaded Earth." Goku explained further, his expression contorted into a scowl of regret while speaking. Even to this very day, remembering the time Vegeta, Raditz, and Nappa first came to Earth was still a bit difficult to think about, especially concerning the initial deaths of his friends and himself. Artemis, immensely fascinated by the Dragon Balls' existence and limitations, quirked a brow at his mention of the Saiyans, already knowing of Goku's out-of-ordinary nature based on their prior conversation.

"Hmph both sets do sound quite dangerous. I'm assuming that the Saiyans' arrival on Earth had something to do with collecting the Dragon Balls for their own devices?" Artemis inferred from Goku's visible discomfort and body language, analyzing the spiky-haired Saiyan from head-to-toe with her steely gaze.

"Well, yeah. But, they only found out about them after Piccolo, a Namekian who used to be one of my greatest rivals back home, and I fought against Raditz. Originally, Raditz came to Earth just to look for one thing entirely separate from the Dragon Balls. The other two Saiyans, Vegeta and Nappa, were in another part of the galaxy all together." Goku confirmed Artemis's observational assertion, scowling at the projected image of Raditz's devilish smirk as it circled around his mind.

"What was he looking for exactly?" Artemis asked hesitantly, wondering what else a Saiyan could want besides planetary destruction or orbs could that grant anything they so desire. Goku closed his eyes and blew out a sigh, figuring that Artemis would need to find out more about himself regardless.

"Me. Raditz was my older brother and the one who revealed that I wasn't human like I once thought." Goku murmured listlessly, opening his obsidian orbs to glare at his feet. Artemis stood agape for a moment or two, shocked by the fact that the first Saiyan Goku came in contact with was his own brother.

"Like I said before, I've lived on Earth for most of my life. All of those adventures with Bulma, Krillin, and the rest were done thinking that I was a human just like them. I became a martial artist to become stronger, no question about it, but I also did it to protect those closest to me and make certain the place I called home wasn't jeopardized by monsters seeking more power than they rightfully deserved. Then, this… this _scumbag _shows up and claims that my sole purpose for being sent here was to destroy it! He then kidnapped Gohan and ordered me to kill hundreds of innocent people if I wanted to see him alive again! And do you think I was just going to let him waltz into my home and say such a thing without putting up a good fight first?! Heck no!" Goku shouted boisterously, sporting a battle-ready smirk and clenched fist. Artemis was even more astonished by Goku's lack of fear and cautiousness in this particular situation. It truly seemed like Goku viewed the fate of his loved ones as far more important than his own, even in situations where the opponent had a potential advantage in battle.

_"Goku… Maybe there is something that makes you different from other males I've come across in the past. What exactly that is I'm not entirely certain, but finding out may need to be my next hunt…" _Artemis proclaimed determinedly, displaying a small grin at the Saiyan warrior as his dampened mood was swiftly washed away.

"I see…" Artemis replied in a soft voice, honestly admiring his bravery in the face of danger. She squinted her silver eyes to fully examine Goku's chiseled face before regaining her focus on the intended goal she had in mind: seeing the Kaioken and Kamehameha techniques on full, uninterrupted display.

"You don't have to finish, Goku. Some information should be kept personal until the time is right to say otherwise." Artemis exclaimed understandingly, placing a hand in front of Goku's face as a sign for him to stop talking.

"Are you sure? The past doesn't really bother me all that much. I mean Vegeta, the Saiyan Prince and leader of that group I just talked about, is one of my closest friends now." Goku questioned uncertainly, crossing his arms with furrowed eyebrows. At the utterance of Vegeta's name, Artemis grew skeptical of the ruthless warrior being described as a "friend".

"Is that feeling mutual between the two of you? He was your, and the rest of Earth's, enemy after all." Artemis pointed out matter-of-factly, placing both hands on her hips. Goku scratched the back of his head and smiled goofily at this doubtful statement.

"He might not admit it, but I'd say so! Even the worst people can change for the better in some ways, Artemis. You might not know this, but most of my friends have been enemies at some point in life, Vegeta included. Heck, even Krillin didn't like me at first! Haha!" Goku chuckled amusedly, looking back on his year-long training with Krillin under Master Roshi and how different said monk used to act. Artemis rolled her eyes, stopping in place to peruse Camp Half-Blood's Archery Range.

"As much as I'd like to know the exact circumstances pertaining to the start of that friendship, we're here." Artemis interrupted the Z-Fighter as she gestured to their presiding destination. The Archery Range housed about 10 wooden targets with five individual sections that divvied up specific points. As expected, many of the Hunters of Artemis who weren't healing in their respective cabin were practicing one after the other in a single file line. Arrow after arrow shot at each panel, whizzing about in every direction possible. However, the fastest and most precise shots, by far, were being shot by a newly recovered Zoë Nightshade. She placed about five arrows in her bow simultaneously, much to the increasing delight of her fellow huntresses. Braided dark brown hair gently flowing in the wind, Zoë gradually pulled the string of her bow back and prepared to fire.

"Grrragh!" Zoë Nightshade growled powerfully, launching each arrow at different targets. With expert marksmanship, all five arrowheads pierced through the bullseye without any sort of wear and tear. They were perfectly imprinted into the targets' wooden exterior, eliciting a round of applause from the observing Hunters and Artemis herself. Goku stood dumbfounded by this display, his eyes widened to their maximum capacity.

"Amazing as always, Zoë." Phoebe congratulated her fellow huntress with a soft pat on the back. Zoë, in the process of retrieving her nocked arrows from the Archery Range's targets, nodded in thanks.

"It was nothing. You and every huntress here are just as good as thy." Zoë modestly complimented her fellow archers with a warm smile. Noticing how kind and motivative Zoë was among her peers, Goku couldn't help, but wonder what her exact problem with him was. Even before their "fight", she was immensely aggressive towards him right off the bat.

"Wow. She's pretty good." Goku whispered over to Artemis, immensely impressed by Zoë's professional skills in archery. Artemis nodded enthusiastically; her red lips upturned into a proud smile.

"Yes. Zoë has been my lieutenant for centuries now. I couldn't ask for a better person to lead the Hunters in my probable absence." Artemis happily praised, addressing the feminine warrior like a mother to one of her own daughters.

"Oh. Do you think she's still mad about me knocking her out earlier?" Goku nervously whispered into her ear. Unfortunately for him, his voice was audible enough to elicit the attention of each huntress standing nearby, including Phoebe and the aforementioned Zoë. At the sight of said Saiyan, Zoë's thankful grin instantly regressed into an infuriated, contemptible snarl. Her black eyes narrowed dangerously, both of them burning with pure hatred and resentment as they closed in on Goku's now fearful expression.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'." Goku stammered uncomfortably with a sheepish, toothy grin. Artemis, already expecting this type of vitriolic reaction from the headstrong teen, cleared her throat and attempted to quell Zoë's temper.

"I see you've recovered just fine, Zoë. Did you rest well?" The moon goddess questioned in a calm manner. Zoë's mood swiftly brightened in the presence of her mistress, but she still continued to glare at Goku.

"Of course, milady. That chop to the neck _was _only a lucky shot and nothing more." Zoë scoffed condescendingly, downplaying the power of Goku's "attack" during their battle in Camp Half-Blood Forest. Goku winced a bit at this purposeful insult, beginning to wonder if beating this particular Hunter in one blow was such a good idea after all.

"Arrogance won't do you any good, Zoë. I didn't bring Goku here to start another fight against him." Artemis sternly mused. Knowing that Zoë's pride was wounded from her most recent defeat, Artemis remained neutral in order to ease the tension of this situation. In response, Zoë tightened her grip on the bow she was currently holding, causing small splinters of wood to be flung outward.

"Then why is thy _alien_ even here? He's still our prisoner, no matter what he did to kill that so-called hydra!" An enraged Zoë fumed accusatively, pointing at Goku as if his intentions were wholly antagonistic and unworthy of any trust. Phoebe and the other Hunters of Artemis nodded along with their colleague's inquisition, grimacing at Goku with equal scorn. Artemis sighed apprehensively at this lack of cooperation amongst her sisters-in-arms, her silver eyes beginning to radiate with reinforced energy. As her gaze glowed more profoundly, the moon also began to shine brighter and brighter in synchronized unison. Goku, noticing this spectacle, blinked a few times in sudden stupefaction.

"ENOUGH!" Artemis shouted in a booming voice, her once glistening pupils replaced by sparks of whitish gray aura. A temporary shockwave of divine power was released from her entire body, silencing any arguments Zoë, Phoebe, and the Hunters might have had. This blast of moonlit radiation extended to even Camp Half-Blood's demigods, causing them to look up from their meals with interest and confusion.

"Enough. Now, Son Goku may be our prisoner, but that doesn't mean any hostility should be shown towards him without good reason. Whether you like it or not, Goku only attacked in defense of our own unreasonable actions and even then, he still risked his life to save us from a highly dangerous hydra I haven't seen in years. That is why I tried talking with him instead, as any other good hunter would to gain more information about her prey." Artemis defended her decision to not keep Goku completely restrained in the cabin. The glow of Artemis's pupils and the moon consecutively dissipated as her agitation began to subside.

"But… he…" Zoë anxiously stammered, struggling to come with a good reason to object her point. Artemis took a deep breath and gently clasped Zoë's shoulder, kneeling closer to the ground, so they were both eye level with one another.

"Look. I realize that he humiliated you, Zoë, and your confidence is waning because of it. But, being needlessly bitter about one loss won't help you improve any more than you already have during these past one thousand years. Just hear what I have to say and you won't need to deal with comprehending Son Goku's power any longer. Understand?" Artemis lectured respectfully, staring into Zoë's eyes with the utmost patience and comfort. Zoë, thinking over her mistress's words, closed her eyes and begrudgingly nodded in agreement.

"Y-Yes, milady. I understand. F-Forgive me for jumping to conclusions." Zoë replied apologetically, bowing her head in a visible display of shame. Artemis simply smiled with gratitude and stood up straight once more. She then turned her head to address the surveying mass of Hunters currently sizing up Goku's form.

"Alright, with all that being said, I have requested that Goku give us a demonstration of the techniques he used to vanquish the hydra that attacked us earlier." Artemis audibly proclaimed, readjusting portions of her now black ponytail whilst speaking. Goku awkwardly waved at the group of teenaged girls with his usual dopey grin. This light-hearted greeting was unanimously ignored by every single huntress, all of which were crossing their arms in displeasure at the mere sight of said Saiyan.

"Techniques? As in plural?" One of the Hunters curiously wondered, not even bothering to look at Goku despite the inherent context of her question.

"Correct. One was used by him to kick the hydra while the other caused that blue expulsion of light which, supposedly, destroyed it." Artemis responded, numbering the occurrence of both abilities with her fingers.

"But, how is that humanly possible? Are all mortals able to produce such feats in his world?" Another hunter cautiously asked, rudely pointing at Goku with an exasperated look on her face. A widespread mass of chatter soon permeated in conjunction with this question, seemingly all of them relating to the same concern. Artemis pursed her lips and raised a hand upward to silence the female-centric group.

"Settle down, girls. All of your questions will be answered once Goku has a chance to speak. Gather behind me, so he has enough room to do so." Artemis ordered, motioning the Hunters to step a few away from the archery targets. All of the girls, Zoë and Phoebe included, did as their mistress commanded and huddled together into one large group. Now, Goku, not exactly knowing what to do next, stared at his viewing "audience" with a nervous expression. Despite being stronger than the Hunters of Artemis could ever dream of being, their looks of irritation and hatred were highly intimidating. However, they, thankfully, still didn't compare to the living nightmare that was Chi Chi's infamous death stare.

"Go ahead, Goku. As I've already said, my Hunters won't try to attack you like last time, so you have nothing to fear at the moment. Right?" Artemis soothed Goku's anxiousness, giving her archers the stink eye to make sure her point was made clear. Begrudgingly, the Hunters of Artemis all collectively dropped their bows, arrows, and weapons with deep sighs.

"Right." The Hunters of Artemis grumbled in unison, pouting resentfully as they waited for Goku's "demonstration" to start. Seeing that any possible distractions were left unlikely to appear, Goku cleared his throat and prepared to speak.

"Ahem ok then. Hmmm… How should I put this without making it sound too complicated?" Goku pondered to himself, cupping his chin in a deep thinking position. He stroked it a few times before raising his finger upward in a moment of eureka.

"Oh right! Have any of you, besides Artemis, heard of ki?" Goku collectively asked the group of elite huntresses. The Hunters of Artemis whispered to each other in puzzlement and confusion before Zoë took it upon herself to answer.

"Isn't that a term describing the energy from which all life forms are made up of? I believe it was a concept prevalent in Chinese culture and martial arts." Zoë replied hesitantly, confused by the extraterrestrial male's sudden mention of such an ancient concept like chi/qi. Goku nodded pleasantly in confirmation.

"Not sure what a "Chinese" is, but you're right, Zoë! Hehe." Goku responded with an oblivious chuckle and closed eyelids. Zoë side-glanced at Phoebe, both high-ranking Hunters deadpanning at Goku's misuse of the term describing people from China.

_"Is thou for real? How different is thy world from ours?" _Zoë thought in disbelief, starting to wonder if Goku's original home was even an alternate version of Earth or not. Then again, like she assumed earlier, Goku could just be another moronic male who doesn't pay attention to his surroundings.

"You see, ki is a part of everyone and everything. People, animals, plants… all things that live and breathe are driven by one composite force of energy. Heck, I think even that hydra and the Greek gods themselves have it, Artemis included." Goku thoroughly described, jerking his thumb at Artemis to emphasize the supposed existence of her energy signature. The Hunters of Artemis gasped heavily at this surprising revelation.

"WHAT?!" The huntresses yelped in combined shock, never expecting a monster like the hydra to possess ki like human beings. Artemis, while less started by this news, was still interested in finding out what Goku had to say about her godly powers.

"What makes you say that, Goku?" Artemis inquired amusedly with a raise of her eyebrow.

"Well, back in my universe, certain martial artists can acquire an ability that allows them to mentally track the ki signatures of other people, especially those who are exceptionally powerful. Being one of those fighters, I was able to feel traces of your and Aphrodite's aura which, for you, was a bright silver color while Aphrodite had a pink, almost magenta looking one. It's how I knew you and the girls were following me in that forest a few hours ago." Goku said informatively, tapping on his forehead as he spoke. Artemis and her huntresses' eyes collectively widened in amazement at the existence of such a useful ability.

"_So, that's how he dodged my arrow with such little effort. Astounding!_" Artemis recalled the failure of her first shot in Camp Half-Blood Forest with newfound understanding.

"However, you and Aphrodite both had unique auras that were pretty difficult to track. I'm not sure how to describe them, but it's almost like they were a completely different type of ki or something." Goku commented in deep puzzlement, noting how Aphrodite's energy seemed to completely vanish when she traveled back to Mount Olympus. This odd phenomenon also occurred when Artemis shot him with that tranquilizer dart a few hours ago, her presence rendered unable to be seen by Goku for about 1 second or more.

"Hmph I suppose that is pretty strange. Maybe gods and goddesses don't have the same ki signatures as human beings? We are comparatively different in terms of status and physiology." Artemis presumed with a hint of uncertainty, wondering if her immortality and golden blood changed other aspects of her body as a whole, ki included. Goku nodded, but still scratched the back of his head in confusion.

"I guess that's a good enough explanation. I might have to find out more about this "new" ki later on." Goku passively shrugged with a disgruntled expression. He then shook his head and moved on with the demonstration Artemis requested.

"For now, I'll briefly show you the basics of ki usage before going into more detail about the Kaioken and Kamehameha Wave. They're more advanced techniques that require a lot of focus and training to execute properly." Goku noted seriously. Afterwards, he steadied his breathing and slowly placed both hands below the pectoral area. Yellow particles of ki sparked to life in the center of each hand, merging together to form one spherical mass. This sphere flashed an almost blinding light at Artemis and the Hunters, causing them to partially shield their eyes.

"See what's happening? By focusing energy into my hands, I can emit a small sphere of ki. As I harness more and more ki from my fingertips, this ball will gradually expand in terms of size." Goku described in great detail. He transmitted more of his life force into the ball, resulting in it becoming much bigger than before.

"And the larger it is…" Goku trailed off, placing the newly completed ki ball into the palm of his right hand. He then narrowed his eyes at a nearby tree residing in the distance and outstretched his arm. In a split second, the ki ball rocketed from his hand and smashed into the tree, causing it to explode upon impact! To the Hunters of Artemis's aghast horror, what used to be a tree was now a hefty pile of ashes scattering in the wind.

"…the more damage it will produce." Goku finished his sentence, staring at the results of his small attack in momentary silence. Artemis and the Hunters took a second to fully comprehend what they just saw, but thought it better not to say anything more. Goku's power was, as seen firsthand, truly a terrifying force to be reckoned with.

"Once you manage to create a ball of ki like that one, everything else will come naturally. Flying, however, takes about as much, if not more, dedication to pull off well." Goku strictly apprised, remembering the first time he learned how to fly during his fight with Piccolo at the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament.

"In order to fly, you'll need to focus traces of ki to your feet and the ground beneath them. After that, all it takes is deep concentration and a calm, dedicated mind." Goku stood in place with near-perfect posture, using his ki to propel gusts of wind towards the soil below. He then began to levitate, his whole body pushing itself upward until said Saiyan was fully hovering in mid-air.

"Are thou suggesting that anyone with this ki had the potential to fly all along?! Without wings or wind manipulation?!" Zoë questioned erratically; her shrunken black orbs solely focused on Goku's nonchalant defiance of gravity. Goku floated a bit closer to Artemis's lieutenant and lightly grinned in agreement.

"With enough practice, yeah. People can acquire it at different points in their life, though, regardless of age or even strength. For example, while I learned to fly at 18-years-old, my son, Gohan, was able to do it at the age of 5. Then again, the opponents I fought as a kid were a lot weaker than the ones he had to encounter." Goku replied encouragingly, recalling the immense power Gohan once possessed as a child. He still, however, held a bit of regret for the amount of traumatic experiences and adversaries Gohan was forced to experience at that age. Frieza was, by far, much worse than the Red Ribbon Army or Mercenary Tao ever were back in the day.

"A-A 5-year-old boy? Being able to fly and fight others in combat? Thou must be joking…" Zoë scoffed at the utter ludicrousness of such an idea.

"Gohan wasn't an ordinary kid, Zoë. He held all sorts of raw fighting potential that made him surpass me at around the age of 9 or so. I, of course, did catch up, but that was only because Gohan wished to finish his studies and become a scholar. He did just as his… mom wanted him to and then some." Goku commended his eldest son's accomplishments with immense pride, both fighting and non-fighting alike. Once again, he hesitated somewhat at the mention of Chi Chi, but managed to continue speaking without sadness. However, Artemis was just as observant as the last time and took extra note of Goku's underlying anguish.

"_There it is again. A forlorn look of grief seems to appear every time he mentions one specific person. Could Gohan's mother, his wife, be that special someone he lost before Aphrodite sent him here?" _Artemis inferred from Goku's implied body language, sympathetically grimacing in regards to his hidden pain. Artemis herself wasn't exactly a stranger to losing friends and loved ones, so she could fully understand where Goku was coming from.

"Really? That's… interesting." Zoë muttered doubtfully, unable to believe that a 9-year-old child could stand toe-to-toe with the likes of Goku or her own mistress. If Goku could best Artemis in battle with little to no effort, he was truly on another level that couldn't easily be attained by ordinary standards.

"It's not entirely impossible, Zoë. Hercules was able to strangle two snakes when he was just an infant." One of the Hunters acknowledged as a notable example of how strong the children of immensely powerful beings could become. Zoë entire body stiffened at the open mention of said mythological hero, her face burning a dark red. She slowly turned towards her fellow immortal, grinding her teeth in a constant back and forth motion.

"What did I tell thou about saying that gods forsaken _name_ in thy presence?! Don't EVER speak of _him_ again! GOT IT?!" Zoë fumed angrily, shaking uncontrollably at the mere thought of Zeus's legendary son. Portions of her dark brown hair stuck out in sporadic directions, seemingly reacting in tandem with Zoë's unbridled fury. Artemis sighed heavily at her sudden outburst, implying that Zoë has acted out like this on a multitude of occasions.

"Y-Yikes. Sorry, Zoë. I just thought it fit as an example." The archer timidly apologized, playing with her thumbs in a mix of regret and embarrassment. Zoë huffed in disgust, haughtily wafting her hair backward as she turned away from the younger girl.

"Well, thou thought wrong!" Zoë grunted lowly, folding her arms with a deep scowl of annoyance and hurt. A cloud of guilt hung over the unfortunate huntress's head while the others glanced at Zoë's back in remorse. Goku, not exactly understanding why she was so upset about this Hercules guy, awkwardly looked from left to right in search of answers.

"Uh… What was that about?" Goku questioned concernedly, landing back onto the ground as he did so. Zoë side-glanced at the uninformed Saiyan, glaring at him with a searing intensity that couldn't easily be matched by ordinary means.

"Feh! Like that's any of thy concern. Just finish this up, so thou can go back to where thou belong!" Zoë scowled bitterly, dangerously squinting her black eyes at Goku before turning away once more. Goku, in the process of saying something else, was abruptly stopped mid-sentence by Artemis gently grasping his shoulder.

"Just let her be, Goku. It's a long story that doesn't need to be discussed at the moment. Now, what comes after flying?" Artemis advised protectively, moving on with the discussion for Zoë and everyone else's sakes. Goku darted his eyes from Artemis to Zoë for a moment before nodding and walking back to his original spot.

"Alright then. With ki emission and flight out of the way, I'll be moving onto an important technique that all ki-users rely on an almost consistent basis: the projection of one's aura." Goku announced with a slight smirk. He squatted lower to the ground and tightly clenched both of his fists, causing the wind around him to pick up speed. The surrounding trees and bushes also rustled a bit, scaring away some birds and smaller animals.

"Aura is a person's ki compressed into one stable form. When visible, it would look similar in effect to that of a burning fire. It varies in terms of color, but the most common aura is usually white." Goku explained from personal experience and use. Artemis and her Hunters weren't certain where the additional wind was originating from, but proceed to listen in regardless.

"When properly activated, aura can be used to enhance the speed, strength, stamina, and durability of any skilled ki-user. This goes for maneuverability in the air as well. However, while all of those are great qualities to have, aura can be the most helpful when a fighter needs to unleash more of their ki." Goku continued, detailing the multiple uses of aura in and out of battle.

"Unleash your ki? Like when you obliterated those arrows?" Artemis questioningly recounted the gust of wind produced from Goku's arm. Goku, still in the same pose, smirked at this somewhat accurate presumption.

"Close. That was an attack called the Kiai, or "fighting spirit". It was a propulsion of ki-enhanced air currents that I created via screaming." Goku explained the intricacies of how that specific attack was used.

"I see." Artemis muttered in deep contemplation, using one hand to cup her chin.

"Screaming? How does raising your voice increase the strength of an attack? That doesn't seem very logical." Phoebe commented wryly, resting a hand on her cheek in boredom. Goku, anticipating this question, began to steadily raise his ki.

"It's not just screaming that matters. Any type of emotion can help increase the size and power of their ki. Anger, sadness, happiness… any notable feeling that boosts adrenaline and excitement can help someone flourish in battle. However, as I've already mentioned, aura must be released before anything else can be done with it. Allow me to demonstrate." Goku corrected Phoebe's assumption with a short analysis of emotion's close connection with ki. The Saiyan from Earth then covered his entire body in aura, crumbling the grounded soil beneath him. Some of the archery targets were also blown out of their posts, toppling over one after the other in quick succession.

"You girls may want to huddle together and cover your ears." Goku speedily gave Artemis and the rest a heads-up on what was about to take place. Before they could ask what he meant, Goku narrowed his eyes and suddenly erupted with all sorts of energy.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Goku screamed powerfully, unleashing an admittedly small portion of his ki in larger quantities. The sound of his hypersonic scream shook the entire campgrounds, uprooting tree after tree and immensely frightening all sorts of woodland creatures, dryads and satyrs included. Cracks split open the ground and rendered certain rocks airborne as Goku continued to unveil his fearsome ki to this foreign universe.

* * *

_The Dining Pavilion_

As the demi-god children of Camp Half-Blood ate dinner, Goku ultimately became the central topic of conversation among each respective cabin. They argued about everything from his hair style and martial arts gi to his chiseled, muscular form rivaling that of Greek sculptures from ancient times. Similar questions arose throughout all 12 tables, making dinner less focused on food than it should be. Was he really from another universe? Did he practice martial arts like his outfit implied? What type of hair conditioner did he use to make his hair stand up like that? All the curious heroes-in-training could do was infer and guess in hope that definitive answers would eventually be given out. Unfortunately, with Artemis and the other Olympians being involved, Goku's whereabouts and traits would most likely be kept under wraps until a proper "use" for him was determined. They were, after all, in the midst of a Second Titanomachy against Lord Kronos himself.

However, one particular camper with doubts about Goku's credibility as a warrior was Clarisse La Rue, daughter of Ares and head counselor of his cabin. She was much taller than the average female teen, having a muscular body comparable in height and width to a basketball player of the opposite gender. Her hair extended downward to both shoulders, appearing to be light brown and stingy. Clarisse's camp t-shirt was also custom made to have its sleeves cut off, accentuating her abnormally large biceps.

"So, do you think Artemis was telling the truth about that Goku guy? How he singlehandedly destroyed a supped up hydra when the Hunters failed to?" Sherman Yang, son of Ares and Clarisse's half-brother, asked while hungrily chomping down on a piece of steak. Clarisse rolled her brown eyes and scoffed, absentmindedly picking at her trademark electric spear.

"Tsk. She wouldn't really have a reason to lie about that. Even still, I doubt this Goku's so-called "power" is anything worth praising. I'm certain making a fool of themselves on the battlefield isn't new to those feminazi Hunters anyway." Clarisse mockingly chuckled with an amused sneer, helping herself to some freshly cooked chicken legs with little care.

"I don't know, sis. It's not every day that you see a blinding blue flash light up the sky like that. I mean, Artemis _was_ sent by here by Zeus to arrest him or something. Maybe he is the real deal." Mark, another one of Clarisse's siblings, indecisively said, mentioning the fact that Artemis was personally requested to pursue Goku. Clarisse closed her eyes and sighed, resting her muscular elbow on the table.

"Look, Mark. Defeating a hydra is not some impossible achievement for us demi-gods. Hercules did it and even I blew one to smithereens back on the _CSS Birmingham_! If some porcupine-haired weirdo is so immeasurably powerful, I'll only believe it when I see it firsthand. Like what's the worst he can do? Cause typhoons with a wave of his hand? Shake the entire—" Clarisse's arrogant rant was swiftly interrupted by the rapid shaking of Camp Half-Blood. In record timing, multiple trees were yanked from their roots by high-speed winds that originated northward. All 12 tables in the Dining Pavilion began to lose balance, whole dishes flying out of campers' hands without any ample time to secure them.

"An earthquake in New York?! Did someone piss off Poseidon again?!" One of Hermes' kids shrieked in a state of panic and bewilderment. Some campers cowered underneath their tables, fearing that another monster was planning to attack Camp Half-Blood's new barrier.

"I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die." A hyperventilating daughter of Aphrodite repeated fearfully in a tear-stained fetal position.

"What the hell is that?!" Clarisse shouted irritably, holding up her spear in preparation for battle. Then, an incredibly loud scream caused everyone, demigod, satyr, and dryad alike, to collectively cover their ears.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" After the end of this powerful shout, the intense shaking and propulsion of wind came to an abrupt halt. While Camp Half-Blood ceased being torn apart any further, the damage from Goku's short display of power was still prevalent to observe for all parties involved in its wake. The startled campers slowly uncovered their aching ears and stood up from the ground. All of them stared in horror at the part of camp where that scream came from, trying their best to fully comprehend what just happened.

"Welp, saying that was terrifying would be an understatement." Ellis Wakefield, a fourth member of Ares' Cabin, quipped as he gently stroked the back of his muscle-toned neck.

"Clarisse, you don't think that was—" Sherman whispered uneasily, starting to not have any doubts about Son Goku's abilities. Before Clarisse could properly reply, the Big House's slammed open to reveal an irate Dionysus. He, with a much calmer Chiron following close behind, stomped toward the wrecked Dining Pavilion while gobbling down a whole branch of grapes.

"What in Olympus's holy name was that racket?! Did you brats try to murder each other again?! I've told you a thousand times that killing is only allowed on the battlefield or in… WHERE DID THIS MESS COME FROM?!" Dionysus rambled agitatedly with bloodshot eyes, glaring at each of the demi-gods as if they committed a serious crime.

"It wasn't us, Mr. D. We just heard a loud, prolonged scream come from the Archery Range. I think Artemis and her Hunters went there a few hours ago." Clarisse calmed the wine god's tantrum with gesture towards the specified location of origin. Chiron trimmed his brown beard, staring into the distance with minor concern.

"Hmmm this may involve that Son Goku fellow then. If so, we should probably check to see what Artemis is up to." Chiron wisely suggested with a steady trot of his frontmost hooves. Dionysus glanced at the centaur, taking a short swig of Diet Coke to temporarily replenish his energy.

"I guess we should, huh? Damn! Just when I thought I could get two minutes of peace and quiet, _this_ happens! Grrgh!" Dionysus whined in frustration, facepalming to emphasize his reluctance. He turned his attention to Cabin 5's table and motioned for Clarisse to follow him.

"Fine then. Clarisse, Sharman, you two come with Chiron and I. The rest of you brats can clean up the Dining Pavilion til' it's just how it was before. Capeesh?" Dionysus commanded authoritatively with a snap of his fingers. The other demi-gods silently cursed to themselves and sighed in great dismay.

"Yes, Mr. D." Each camper replied monotonously in unison. They then did as Mr. D instructed and began repositioning any sort of table that was knocked over by Goku's ki-enhanced screams. The satyrs, nymphs, and dryads also helped out by putting each tree back where they initially belonged.

"It's Sherman by the way." Sherman Yang corrected Dionysus's "accidental" mistake. Said wine god just harrumphed at the boy with a careless deadpan.

"Whatever." Dionysus uttered disconcertedly, eating more grapes as he made his way toward the Archery Range. Clarisse, Sherman, and Chiron closely trailed after him in order to figure out what Artemis was up to. Meanwhile, while everyone else was busy cleaning up Goku's unintended mess, one person stood in the pavilion's center. There, all of the campers' offerings were being organized in a large pot crackling with fire and brimstone. It seemed to be made of pure bronze and was similar in size to that of a normal, everyday bathtub. The aforementioned individual examining this bonfire was an eight-year-old girl with short brown hair. Her eyes were a bright red, portraying a warm, comforting fire that burned just as brightly as the very pot she was observing. She also wore a brown dress that fully concealed her head and feet. Despite the bizarre fact that no one was completely aware of her presence, she looked upon the Archery Range with an amused grin.

"_Son Goku, hm?_" The girl hummed to herself in interest, somehow knowing more about the goofy Saiyan than most would in this universe. Making certain that the four didn't take notice of her, the mysterious girl vanished in a small whirlwind of orange-yellow flame.

* * *

_Above Camp Half-Blood_

Newly departing from the heavens of Mount Olympus, Aphrodite attempted to rendezvous with Goku as fast as she possibly could. Her cloud was nowhere near close to reaching the Flying Nimbus's top speeds, but it was still useful enough to evade Ares before he inevitably escaped the trap she set up for him. All Aphrodite needed to do now was figure out the exact portion of Camp Half-Blood where Artemis transported Goku and… "rescue" him if that made any sense. Knowing her fellow Olympian goddess, Artemis most likely pressured the poor Saiyan into revealing anything about himself before any sort of trial on Mount Olympus could be enacted.

"You better not have done anything to my Goku, Artemis, or I swear I'll…" Aphrodite darkly bellowed, her green eyes radiating with a darker pink energy. She adjusted the position of her voluptuous body to examine Camp Half-Blood's massive sea of trees, darting her eyes from left to right in search of Goku's presence or any sign that he was there at all.

"Come on, Goku. Where could you be?" Aphrodite questioned in worry and anxiousness. She sighed miserably, brushing her brownish-blonde bangs backward in frustration. Then, all of a sudden, each tree in Camp Half-Blood began to shake violently in conjunction with the whole camp itself. To Aphrodite's surprise, a systemic gust of wind shot out of the camp and almost knocked her off the entire cloud.

"Oof! What on Earth?" Aphrodite groaned in shock, hurriedly fixing up her tousled dress and locks of hair. Then, almost like harmonious music to her ears, Goku's powerful scream surged throughout all of Camp Half-Blood's and its purveying skyline.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Goku shouted out, projecting a cylindrical stream of white ki that unintentionally revealed his current location. Aphrodite red lips twitched upward in a wide smile, her amorous heart beating a million times faster than normal.

"There you are! I'm coming, my love!" Aphrodite squealed in newfound relief, quickly checking portions of her body to make sure she looked presentable enough. Like a younger version of the Flying Nimbus, Aphrodite rocketed her own cloud towards Camp Half-Blood's Archery Range at ridiculously fast speeds. However, unbeknownst to the distracted love goddess, Ares was ganging on her in his notorious War Chariot. It was red and gold, depicting gruesome depictions of death and bodily mutilation on all sides, including the front and back. Pulling this hellish vehicle were four black horses with manes and eyes filled to the brim with raging fire, seemingly breathing it like medieval dragons. Due to the Mist, it would probably look more like a flying motorcycle leaving streams of pure combustion in its destructive path.

"That's right, babe. Lead me straight to him." Ares chucked maniacally, his pupils displaying two active mushroom clouds. The war god looked upon the tower of aura with a mix of hatred and excitement, goading his four steeds into moving a bit faster.

* * *

_The Archery Range_

After his session of shouting was finally finished, Artemis and the Hunters gazed upon Goku to see that he was covered from head-to-toe in a whitish-gray construct of energy. Goku's spiky black hair blew upward as if he were on top of an active ventilation shaft, moving autonomously with the aura's artificial wind. His pale, white skin also glistened a bit more, the ki surrounding said alien acting like a supplementary light source.

"S-So these are the effects of revealing your aura?" Artemis stammered in confoundment, turning her body to study the damages of Goku's charging method. The Hunters were practically mute, blown away by the consequences of him merely shouting. After learning about ki's close connection with human emotions, they didn't even want to think of what would happen if he was genuinely angry at the same time.

"Yeah, sorry about the mess. It's a good thing I didn't show off my true power or this whole place would have been destroyed." Goku laughed apologetically, managing to maintain his normal aura with complete and utter ease. Artemis's and Zoë's jaws comically dropped to the floor at this information. To them, it seemed like Goku was full of surprises in the worst way imaginable.

"YOUR WHAT?!" Artemis and Zoë screeched in unison, floored by Goku's bottomless strength. Goku raised an eyebrow confusedly, not understanding what they were so shocked by.

"Huh? I thought you girls already knew that. I do have the Kaioken, you know." Goku mumbled nervously, his eyes widened at their suddenly erratic behavior. Zoë raised a fist in anger, losing some hold on her requested patience.

"We don't know what that is yet, buffoon! How else did thou expect us to react?" Zoë barked with infuriation, wrongfully resorting to childish name-calling.

"Yeesh. You don't need to be so harsh about it. The Kaioken involves a more complex variation of aura, so I decided to explain that first. No need to snap at me." Goku rightfully defended himself with an immature pout.

"He's right, Zoë. We don't have much of this demonstration left, so just bear with it for now." Artemis instructed Zoë, encouraging her to play along for just a little while longer. Zoë nodded and went back to her original brooding spot.

"So, I won't go into the finer details, but the Kaioken, or the King Kai Fist, is named after its creator, King Kai. He is basically a deity who resides over my universe's North Galaxy and became one of my many martial arts instructors." Goku cryptically revealed the Kaioken's original creator.

"A god?! Did he look like any of the Olympians here?" Phoebe gasped in amazement, figuring that a deity with such notoriety needed to truly look divine. Goku toothily grinned at this question, knowing how eccentric of a person King Kai was.

"Not really. He's basically a short bug-looking guy with antennae and blue skin. He also wears circular sunglasses and loves telling practical jokes. He has a pet monkey named Bubbles too! Ha-ha!" Goku chuckled joyfully in remembrance of the time he had to chase Bubbles on King Kai's planet. The Hunters of Artemis all deadpanned at this baffling description, assuming that Goku was insulting their intelligence with talks of monkeys and bug-men.

"Hey, he may sound ridiculous, but King Kai's the real deal. Without his lessons, I would have never survived as many battles as I have." Goku supported King Kai's validity as a martial arts master and close friend.

"Anyhow, the Kaioken was created to temporarily multiply the user's strength, speed, agility, and senses in combat. However, for every second it is in use, more and more pressure is put on the body until entire bones are heavily damaged or broken completely. It's one of the reasons the Kaioken is such a dangerous, potentially life-threatening technique." Goku listed the potential benefits and setbacks of the Kaioken's usage. The Hunters of Artemis audibly gasped at the potential power increase this could give to demi-gods or even themselves.

"For the Kaioken, there are several levels representing the amount of power and pressure that is increased. Ever since learning it from King Kai, I've managed to master x1-x20. Kaioken x3 was the one I used to hit that hydra, which means my base power level was multiplied by a divisible of 3 there." Goku further explained, mentioning the highest level of Kaioken he has ever achieved before the Super Saiyan transformations were discovered.

"_Fascinating. Very fascinating. If a x3 Kaioken was more than enough to destroy a hydra's skin like it was nothing, what kind of damage could a x20 produce?" _Artemis hummed in stunned amazement, becoming progressively impressed by Goku's sheer prowess as a warrior. If he weren't being put on trial, she wondered if Goku would teach her how to use such an ability. After all, her increased healing factor could easily handle any form of toll or excess pressure.

"Could you show us? I saw its red aura from a distance, but that was all." Artemis politely requested with her usual gaze of neutral indifference. Goku happily nodded in agreement to this request.

"I was going to anyway, but sure, Artemis! Since my aura's already activated, there shouldn't be any more damage done to the camp… hopefully." Goku tentatively promised with a strained grin. He then took a deep breath and tightly clenched his fists once again. In an instant, his white aura was stained a dark, crimson red, becoming more fiery and unstable. As it shot upward in the form of small flames, Goku's entire body tinged a reddish-orange whilst narrowing both eyes in deep concentration.

"Kaioken!" Goku bellowed ferociously, his voice layered over a faint echo. Like what happened during his first confrontation with the hydra, the ground cracked apart into several tiny pieces every time he moved a single muscle. Before Artemis and the Hunters could even blink, Goku fazed out of existence and appeared behind the predominantly feminine group. His movements were so incredibly fast, that it seemed like he hadn't even lifted one foot.

"To be honest with you all, using Kaioken x3 on the hydra was kinda unnecessary. I could have easily done the same thing with this version, but oh well. It worked out either way." Goku carelessly brushed aside his show-boating actions. Seeing that the Kaioken was now understood and seen as planned, the Saiyan goof fully dissipated his aura. This brought back the surrounding wind to its naturally steady pace.

"Do you always hold back like this?" Artemis wondered aloud, on the fence as to whether or not Goku was taking their own one-on-one fight as seriously as she did.

"Mostly when I'm gauging the strength of my opponents." Goku replied off the top of his head, remembering when he wore weighted clothing during the semi-finals of the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament.

"Oh. Almost like the way I treat prey while hunting." Artemis connected her detailed analysis of game to Goku's ki sensing and related battle strategies.

"I guess that's a way to put it. I usually fight for fun, though." Goku agreed with Artemis's comparative assessment of their basic attributes. Artemis genuinely smiled at this; her red lips fully twitched upward.

"Ah, right. Is that your "Saiyan Instinct" at work?" Artemis lightly giggled, putting air quotes on the name of said phenomenon. Goku displayed a close eyed grin as well, placing both hands on his hips in a mock-heroic pose.

"Hehe I'm afraid so. Now, how about I move onto the Kamehame—"

"HAAAAAAAAAAA!" Goku attempted describe his signature move, but was cut off by the screams of an airy voice he immediately recognized. The original Z-Fighter tilted his head upward to see a frightened Aphrodite descending at exceedingly high velocities! Her hands were clung to the back of a puffy, white cloud that she struggled to completely hold onto. For some reason, portions of the cloud were singed with traces of fire.

"A-Aphrodite?" Goku questioned in shock, blankly tilting his head to the side.

"Aphrodite?!" Artemis and her Hunters also asked in similar surprise. Noticing that Aphrodite's cloud was careening straight towards the disheveled Archery Range itself, Artemis quickly motioned for her archers to scatter to other corners of the training grounds.

"Move out of the way, girls! It seems like she's lost control!" Artemis warned in maternal concern, protectively positioning herself in front of each huntress as they moved backward.

"I-I CAN'T STOP IT! S-SOMETHING KNOCKED ME OUT OF THE SKY AND NOW I CAN'T MANEUVER THE DAMN THING!" Aphrodite screamed girlishly in pure terror, clinging onto the damaged cloud for dear life. Goku, taking advantage of this opportunity, placed two fingers on his forehead and keyed in on Aphrodite's energy.

"Don't worry, Aphrodite! I've got you!" Goku assured the vulnerable love goddess. He then instantly transmitted himself on top of Aphrodite and picked her up bridal style.

"Eep!" Aphrodite squeaked at her body's close proximity to his chest, both cheeks now blushing up a storm. None the wiser to her embarrassment, Goku used his ki to phase out of existence and safely land on the ground without any damage taken. As for the cloud, it disintegrated upon impact and regressed into nothing more than superheated gas particles.

"Phew, that was a close one. You alright, Aphrodite?" Goku wondered in concern for his new "friend". Aphrodite froze for a moment, taking a moment to contemplate the fact she was being cradled in Goku's arms like a woman on her wedding night. Her green eyes then became half-lidded, sporting a highly pleased, lovesick smirk.

"_This is may be bad timing, but there's no telling how long it will take for me to be in this same position. I might as well take advantage of it… for his sake." _Aphrodite thought against the logical side of her brain, deciding not to care about Ares' hot pursuit of her for just a short second. She then harnessed the skills of her inner muse and pretended to cry… hard.

"OH, MY GOKU! I WAS SOOOOO SCARED!" Aphrodite sobbed uncontrollably, fake tears trailing down her face as she wiped them away using Goku's shoulder. She was especially terrified during her cloud's unexpected crash, so this whole outburst wasn't all exaggerated. Well, most of it was, but a little theatrics couldn't hurt, especially for someone as oblivious as Goku.

"Woah, woah, Aphrodite! There's no need to cry! You're safe now!" Goku tried his best to calm down Aphrodite's faux tears by gently rubbing her exposed shoulder. She didn't seem to budge, though, continually rubbing her face on the orange fabric of his gi.

"I-It wasn't just the cloud crash! Of course I'm grateful for that, but I was mostly worried about you, Goku. After Zeus sent Artemis and her merry band of prudes to hunt you down, I felt guilty for all the trouble I-I've caused you." Aphrodite moaned sorrowfully, wrapping her arms around Goku's neck in a semi-embrace. Goku was a bit uncomfortable with this compromising position, especially knowing her past experiences as a love goddess, but decided to play along anyway.

"Merry band of WHAT?!" Zoë growled at this insult, instinctively reaching for her bow and arrows. Artemis forced Zoë back, breathing out a low groan in response to Aphrodite's little "performance".

"I'll deal with her." Artemis replied in a whisper, one of her silver eyes noticeably twitching at the poor time placement of Aphrodite's interruption. She then calmly walked towards Goku and Aphrodite, both arms neatly folded behind her back.

"You don't need to feel guilty, Aphrodite. As much as I didn't like being sent here at first, I still enjoyed every minute of it so far. The fights, the food, the people… everything seems like it'll be fun to experience until I find a proper way back home! Plus, if that weird elevator never showed up on King Kai's planet, I never would have met you." Goku soothed Aphrodite's worries with a comforting smile. Aphrodite gasped delightedly at this response, fake tears starting to be replaced by real ones.

"Oh, Goku! That's all I wanted you to say!" Aphrodite chirped happily, jumping out of Goku's arms, so her own were looped tightly around his neck. Goku, almost losing his balance, stopped himself from falling by returning the chaste hug in an awkward, incomplete manner.

"You done playing your childish games, Aphrodite?" Artemis questioned spitefully, glaring at the playful love goddess. Goku, to Aphrodite's disappointment, immediately let go of her, so she could speak goddess-to-goddess.

"Artemis. Being an affectionless killjoy as always." Aphrodite mocked condescendingly with a similar scowl.

"Spare me the insults. You know damn well what I'm about to ask you." Artemis scoffed with a swift roll of her silver eyes.

"Then say it, _Arty_. I don't care what happens to me as long as Goku isn't harmed in anyway." Aphrodite proudly proclaimed with a quick gaze at Goku. Artemis almost lashed out at the utterance of Apollo's asinine nickname for her, but kept any sort of anger under control.

"Fine. How did you escape Mount Olympus? Last time I checked you were under house arrest with Ares." Artemis accused impatiently, tapping her foot in waiting for Aphrodite to properly respond.

"He tried to take advantage of me sexually without my permission, so I stuck him against the wall of my temple. They were rose pedals, so the thorns were extra secure." Aphrodite honestly described the events of her departure. Artemis visibly snarled at this example of sexual assault, but knew Ares wasn't unlikely to participate in such a disgusting practice.

"As much as that behavior repulses me, it wasn't wise to do such a thing to a god of Ares's caliber. Are you certain that he's still there?" Artemis reluctantly disapproved of Aphrodite's decision to resort to violent retaliation. A look of fear was displayed on Aphrodite's porcelain face, causing said love goddess to nervously scratch the back of her head ala Goku.

"W-Well, actually…" Aphrodite was interrupted by the trees of Camp Half-Blood spontaneously combusting. From the skies, Ares's War Chariot sailed into view with all four horses shooting white-hot fire blasts at any flammable object in sight. The chariot was then parked in front of the mystically-inclined flames, Ares calmly stepping out to look his newest enemy dead in the eye. The Hunters of Artemis moved away with caution, knowing full well not to provoke an enraged god.

"No…" Ares chuckled in amusement, the fire illuminating brightly in his black sunglasses. The war god then slammed his spear onto the ground, blue electricity shooting outward in several directions.

"I'm not. And unlucky for you, Son Goku, I'm not exactly in the best of moods." Ares darkly sneered at the Saiyan who effortlessly stole _his_ woman. He then took of his glasses, atomic explosions staring straight into Goku's obsidian pupils. From what Goku could gather in that moment, Ares had a look of bloodlust that represented and sought for only one thing in this entire world: war.

* * *

***Hey what's up, everyone! I know it's been 3 months since I last updated this story, but I hope this extra long chapter will make up for the long wait (hopefully lol). The next chapter will be the inevitable battle between Goku and Ares, so that will have a ton of action, character development, and drama. After that, there will be 2 more chapters dealing with the trial on Mount Olympus and then that will be the end of the first story arc! Until then, leave a favorite, follow, and/or review to tell me what you think. Your feedback is always appreciated and helps me improve as a writer going forward. :)**

**Also, I can't believe this story has 214 favorites, 253 follows, and 152 reviews! That is absolutely mind-blowing and I can't thank you enough for the consistent support you guys have given me over these past few months! You guys make this and my other two stories worth continuing!**

**Btw, what do you think of my new cover page? I made it in Illustrator about a month ago and used the actual font from Percy Jackson! I know it looks kind of cheap, but I plan to draw one in the not-too-distant future (once I'm on break from college, off of work, etc.) Anyways, it'll be interesting to see what you have to say. **

**Update (2/6/20): Hey it's me again! Just to let you guys know, I recently posted a poll on my profile page. This will decide if this story's pairing should eventually be changed from Goku/Aphrodite/Artemis to one or two additional love interests. Again, this is only a test to see what you guys think. I might not go through with it completely until later on. The poll should stay open for quite awhile as well, so vote whenever you have the time to. :)**


	8. The Strongest Under the Heavens

***Hey, everyone! Sorry for the late update again, but I needed to make sure I did well in college first and foremost. Now that I'm on break from May until early September, I should be able to write a lot more often. So, Chapter 9 and possibly even 10 should be out this month depending on when I write my other stories. With that being said, I hope you enjoy this very long chapter.**

* * *

Chapter 8: The Strongest Under the Heavens

Goku wasn't sure how to feel about the emergence of this particular Olympian god. As Camp Half-Blood Forest's coniferous trees burned to cinders in a mass sea of flame, he took it upon himself to silently analyze Ares's form. He noted that said God of War had a murderous look of fury etched on his face, both "eyes" glaring into Goku's very soul. The Saiyan could obviously tell Ares had a lot of experience in battle, but, unfortunately, his total power level did not seem all that impressive at first glance. However, recalling the strange nature of Aphrodite and Artemis's ki signatures from before, Goku hoped that Ares could be the first opponent from this universe to give him a challenging, worthwhile fight. After everything he's been through in the past few hours, such a hypothetical battle was something he desperately needed.

"So, I'm guessing you're Ares, right?" Goku questioned with narrowed eyes.

"Oh, the _great_ Son Goku recognizes me, huh? I'm truly honored." Ares sarcastically chuckled with a condescending smirk. Aphrodite nervously darted her eyes from Goku to Ares, already anticipating the vitriolic confrontation that was about to take center stage.

"Don't even think about it, Ares! I've trapped you once and I can do it again." Aphrodite growled defensively. She stood in front of Goku, keeping her new love interest away from harm.

"With what? Those pathetic rosebuds you call thorns? Don't make me laugh. Out of all people, you should know that pyrokinesis is one of my most useful abilities. If my ride can extinguish this forest here, burning your vines was practically a cakewalk." Ares mocked Aphrodite's attempt at acting assertive. Taking a hesitant step back, Aphrodite stood her ground and glared profusely at Ares.

"I admit that was a small… well, big miscalculation on my part, but the meaning behind my previous attack still stands. I am solely responsible for Goku's arrival here and I won't let you, nor any of the other Olympians, lay a finger on him because of it!" Aphrodite promised with the utmost conviction. She furrowed her now-black eyebrows, causing her irises to sport an energized pink hue once again.

"I appreciate the help, Aphrodite, but this situation is my mess to clean up just as much as it is yours. Heck, to be honest, I willingly surrendered myself to Artemis and the girls about a half-hour ago." Goku reiterated Aphrodite's claim whilst placing a firm hand on her shoulder. Said love goddess tilted her head to the side in momentary shock.

"Huh? You did?" Aphrodite exclaimed surprisedly. Artemis then parted from her startled Hunters and stood a few feet apart from Goku's side.

"He's telling the truth, Aphrodite. After a little skirmish involving my Hunters and a hydra, Goku agreed to stand trial on Mount Olympus amongst Zeus and the others. Well, that is, once he woke up from the aftereffects of my specially designed tranquilizer dart." Artemis summarized the events of her first confrontation with Goku. She couldn't help, but smirk at the fact that she managed to incapacitate Goku despite their sizable gap in strength.

"Hey! I was caught off-guard, Artemis. How was I supposed to know that you were going to attack me right as I got done destroying that hydra?" Goku indignantly defended himself. Artemis shook her head and sighed at the aforementioned martial artist's "offended" tone.

"Hunting doesn't always involve a fair fight, Goku. A successful hunter always knows when to take advantage of their prey's most prominent weaknesses." Artemis knowledgably explained the practices indicative of hunting for sport and, under more extreme circumstances, survival. "Shouldn't a fighter of your caliber and experience be aware of that by now?"

Goku thought over Artemis's question for a moment or two, wondering if her claim was valid to the standard conditions of his past battles. Recalling the time when Piccolo blasted him in the shoulder during the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament finals, another moment where he blindly left himself open for attack, Goku begrudgingly agreed with said moon goddess's statement.

"Yeah. I guess you've got a good point there." Goku muttered with a small frown. As he gently stroked his chin in contemplative thought, Artemis turned her attention to Ares. She crossed both arms, challengingly looking upon her aggressive half-brother in annoyance.

"Your assistance isn't required here, Ares. I've done as our father instructed and taken Goku under my custody. Simply retrieve Aphrodite, go back to Mount Olympus, and prepare for the upcoming trial with everyone else. My hunters and I can handle the situation just fine." Artemis calmly denied any sort of potential aid from Ares.

"Thee could also deactivate thy flames while thou art at it. The whole forest is about to burn down!" Zoë Nightshade fearfully added from within the large mass of her fellow Hunters. Her gaze was primarily poised on each of the War Chariot's four steeds, noticing that red flame was still continuing to spew from their nostrils and slightly open maws.

Ares side-glanced at the immortal teenager, too preoccupied with his own goals to really care about what she just said. He simply scoffed and put his sunglasses back on.

"Not gonna happen, Ms. Shakespeare. This place will continue burning to cinders until I get what I rightfully came here for." Ares remarked with a thumb lazily pointed at himself.

"S-Shakespeare?" Zoë meekly stammered in a mix of confusion and suppressed anger.

"Then enlighten me, Ares. What exactly did you come here for?" Artemis sharply questioned. In response, Ares detached his spear from the ground and skillfully spun it around.

"Isn't it obvious? I want to put that alien dumbass in his place!" Ares growled determinedly, pointing the arrowhead of his trademark weapon at Goku. Artemis, knowing full-well of Ares and Aphrodite's millennium-long love affair, looked over the daughter of Ouranos as she continued standing close to Goku's side. In conjunction with Ares's infamous anger issues, this so-called challenge seemed fairly inevitable in hindsight.

"_Hmph. I should have figured jealousy had a part to play in this mess. No matter how many mortal women he sleeps with, Aphrodite seems to be the one person he truly "desires" more than most. However, it appears that Aphrodite doesn't feel the same way. At least, not anymore." _Artemis astutely thought, shaking her head at Ares's typical misogynism and possessiveness being expressed at the same time. Aphrodite was usually no different with her tendency to sleep around from person to person, but, in the case of Goku, she acted less selfish than normal. The question was: Why exactly? What made Goku so much more special than any of Aphrodite's other lovers, including Adonis or any of her demigod children's parents?

"Woah, really?! Alright!" Goku blindly whooped in excitement at the prospect of another fight. Aphrodite, Artemis, and the Hunters all deadpanned at Goku's childish response, uncertain if he realized the outward seriousness of such an event possibly taking place. He then awkwardly cleared his throat and replaced his toothy, care-free grin with a more concerned expression.

"I mean… uh… you want to fight me? Any specific reason for that?" Goku corrected himself in the form of a more straightforward question.

"There's a lot of reasons, actually. First, you steal _my_ woman without even trying and somehow manage to turn her against me in a single day. If it were any other person, I'd have to give you props, but with her, it makes my blood boil. Second, ever since you arrived here from your backwards-ass universe, the gods have been hyping you up as this world-ending threat that even Kronos would be scared of. And, don't worry, they've seen your alleged "battles" from the past, including the ones with slugman, spiky-haired midget, the living purple and white dildo, the mechanical cockroach, and bubblegum boy." Ares listed off the specific reasons for hating Goku and the circumstances behind his arrival. Goku's face contorted into one of befuddlement, never hearing someone call his previous adversaries such weird names.

"I know you're referencing Frieza there, but I'm still confused. What's a dildo?" Goku questioned with interest, scratching his head to emphasize his obliviousness. Not wanting to explain such an uncomfortable, private topic, everyone looked at Aphrodite as if expecting her to answer without hesitation.

"No comment…" Aphrodite shrieked embarrassingly, her cheeks burning a bright red as she attempted not to share full eye contact with Goku. Ares burst into uproarious laughter at this compromising situation, absolutely baffled by Goku's lack of sexual knowledge and affinity.

"BAHAHAHAHAHA! See?! This is why you piss me off so much. You're touted as this fearless, all-powerful warrior, yet you continue to act like an overgrown man-child. Aphrodite may call it innocence or that stupid "pure-of-heart" bullshit, but the fact of the matter is, you refused to grow up and don't think of the consequences your actions bring upon everyone else. I may be the god of war, but at least I openly acknowledge the fact that widespread violence is something I was born to commit for all eternity. You, on the other hand, claim to train and fight for the sake of protecting your friends and loved ones, yet, in the end, almost every villain that wreaked havoc on your version of Earth has flourished because of your own selfishness and Saiyan instincts. It's no wonder your wife kicked the bucket when she did. She couldn't stand to be neglected by a self-centered, socially retarded husband like you. Hehe." Ares negatively chastised Goku's behavior and overall static development as a person. Aphrodite's eyes widened at this hateful rant, placing a hand over her mouth in response to the implication of Chi-Chi's recent death.

Goku, trying to control his anger, immediately snapped after the utterance of Ares's last syllable. At uncalculatable speeds, Goku quickly teleported in front of Ares and set an open palm in front of the war god's face. His white aura activated in mere seconds, putting enough excess pressure on Ares's body to make him instinctively crouch downward.

"Don't you _DARE_ mention her again!" Goku yelled threateningly, traces of green eyes and golden-yellow hair appearing for a split second to match his heightened fury. A trail of sweat trickled down the side of Ares's forehead, resulting from his surprise at the sheer intractability of Goku's movements.

"_The hell? I didn't even see him coming…" _Ares muttered in momentary shock and nervousness. He practically froze in place, not wanting to instigate Goku's hostility any further until their battle started.

"_Oh dear. Do you have any idea what you've just done, Ares?"_ Aphrodite inwardly sighed, fearing that the Saiyan side of Goku's personality would be fully unleashed. Artemis, in contrast, was more intrigued by Goku's momentary change of appearance than anything else.

"_What was that just now? Another form that he hasn't revealed yet?_ _Does this one exponentially multiply his power like the Kaioken does?" _Artemis continually asked herself in growing curiosity. At the same time, she also felt an ounce of resentment towards Goku for not being able to divulge more information about his strength and techniques. However, Ares's sudden arrival most likely prevented this from happening, so it wasn't done on purpose.

"You want to fight me so badly, Ares? Fine then. Name the place and time, and I'll be there. That's a promise." Goku scowled irritably, his teeth bared as if he were ready to lash out if need be. The Saiyan's black hair flowed in the wind produced from his ki, partially standing up to mirror the appearance of his yet-to-be-unveiled transformation.

Ares glared down at the Saiyan in a mix of uncertainty and evident scorn. Attempting to retain his thuggish image, he then smirked pleasurably at Goku's "agreement" to his proposed challenge.

"Feh. Alright. We'll fight in Camp Half-Blood's Combat Arena back there. And, before we start, I want to have an audience full of this camp's brats, including mine. It makes it more gratifying to have direct witnesses for the massacre I'm about to commit on your Asian-looking ass." Ares darkly suggested with a cold sneer. He pointed toward a large, cylindrical stadium that was fairly reminiscent of the Roman Colosseum during its golden age. Goku quirked a brow, noting how figuratively different it was from the World Martial Arts Tournament's battle arena back home.

"That depends. Will these kids be safe sitting on the sidelines? When it comes to my fights, I don't want anyone who's not directly involved to get hurt." Goku questioned in a cautious manner.

Ares rolled his eyes, scowling at Goku's tentative regard for the safety of Camp Half-Blood's inhabitants.

"You really have to be a pussy about it, huh? Tsk. They're part god. Witnessing this sort of thing is like watching TV for them. As long as we fight one-on-one, they'll be fine." Ares rudely eased Goku's worries. The Saiyan male, not entirely convinced with Ares's words, just nodded in reluctant understanding.

"Alright, alright. Let's just get this over with." Goku sighed, crossing both arms behind his head. He slowly spun his body around and examined the emblazoned Camp Half-Blood Forest in its current condition.

"Oh, right. Since I agreed to fight you, do as you promised and stop this forest fire. It's experienced enough damage as is." Goku ordered the war deity. Before Ares could act properly act upon this command, all of the flames suddenly dispersed into thin air. Even stranger was the fact that each tree, while previously burned to a crisp, were now back to normal as if nothing happened at all.

"Already got it covered…" A calm, echoey voice replied from the camp's trail. Goku turned his head around in several directions, attempting to spot the source of this unforeseen speaker. His gaze then closed in on an eight-year-old girl with light brown hair and fiery, glowing orange eyes. She held a tiny fire ball in her hand that seemed to comprise of the forest's prior inferno. She then snapped her fingers, causing the orb to instantaneously dissipate like a flickering lightbulb.

"Woah…a little girl?" Goku asked aloud in confusion. The mysterious girl gracefully walked over to Ares's quartet of flaming horses, petting each one with little fear of being burned.

"Nice to meet you, Son Goku. My name is Hestia, goddess of the hearth, home, and family." Hestia pleasantly introduced herself

"Oh, right! I think you were in some of Aphrodite's memories as well. But, how do you know my name anyway? Does news travel that fast on Olympus or something?"

"Not as fast as you'd probably think, actually." Hestia replied with a small chuckle, recalling Hermes' notoriously busy schedule as the messenger god. She slowly shook her head, giving Goku a warm, inviting smile.

"I've been aware of your existence for quite a while, Goku. I suppose you could call me a _fan_ of sorts, considering how many times you've assisted in saving your own "home" from conquest and destruction." Hestia happily complimented with a small twinkle in her eyes. Goku nervously scratched his head, not knowing exactly what to say as a response.

"Seriously? Thanks… I guess." Goku muttered in uncertainty. Hestia's smile struck a small, miniscule nerve in Aphrodite, but she didn't know for what particular reason. She was a virgin goddess, after all, so would being potential competition for Goku even be possible? Aphrodite's green eyes then narrowed into slants at the sight of Artemis, distinctly recalling the amount of time she spent with Goku on campgrounds.

"_After all this is over with, I'll need to keep an eye on her. And maybe Hestia as well_." Aphrodite promised determinedly. She darted her irises from Artemis to Hestia before standing close to Goku again.

"Humph. Always have to come and ruin my fun, don't ya, Hes?" Ares interrupted in a low snort. Even he, the savage, bloodthirsty god of war, could not help, but calm down when around his aunt, Hestia.

"I'm just keeping you and the other gods out of trouble is all. I can't have you burning all of Camp Half-Blood to the ground, you know? That wouldn't be good for anyone at the moment, considering Olympus's _current_ situation." Hestia answered matter-of-factly, gesturing to Goku as the aforementioned "situation" that needed to be dealt with.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I didn't mean to cause you Olympian guys such a panic. Honest." Goku assured Hestia in a genuinely apologetic tone. Said goddess of the hearth vanished in an expansive torrent of flames, appearing right next to Goku's right pantleg.

"There's no need to apologize, Goku. I know you've been through a lot these past few months. My condolences go out to you and the rest of your remaining family." Hestia expressed her sympathies for Goku's present situation.

"Wait, you know… err… about _that_?" Goku timidly asked in a hoarse whisper.

"Of course! Aphrodite's not the only one that can view other universes via Iris Message. I know all about Gohan, Goten, and, of course, your late wife, Chi-Chi. Being a family-oriented goddess, admiring millions upon billions of families from afar is one of my most prominent past times. And, to tell you the truth, I was fairly pleased with what I had the opportunity to view." Hestia explained her broad knowledge of his life and loved ones. Goku faintly grinned, looking up at the sky in vivid reflection of his entire life from then until now.

"Yeah. She… _they_ are all great. I couldn't ask for anybody else in the world to spend my life with." Goku pleasantly reminisced about his sons and former wife. The image of Chi-Chi within his subconscious mind steadily began to fade away, causing Goku to sadly grimace. From the sidelines, Aphrodite felt a bit discouraged and hurt by what Goku said, but ultimately didn't put it against him. She knew that he was in a profound state of grief and it would take a fairly long time for Goku to officially move on from the Ox-Princess. In that time, she hoped Goku could develop similar or even stronger feelings for her, but as of now, such an occurrence was null and void in terms of probability.

"But, now…" Goku trailed off as he blankly stared at the ground.

"Ugh. Does anyone have a barf bag?" Ares mumbled impatiently, feeling a bit disgusted by Goku's expression of sadness. Hestia gave the war god a fiery glare before gently tugging on Goku's orange pants.

"I understand, Goku. You don't have to continue." Hestia kindly eased Goku's sadness. Goku nodded, swiftly wiping his eyes and nose before any stray liquid snuck out.

"R-right. Thanks a lot, Hestia. What you said really meant a lot." Goku expressed his gratitude with a wide, much more enthusiastic smile.

"You're welcome. Now, I think you have a battle with Ares to deal with. Olympians gods and goddesses aren't fond of waiting most of the time." Hestia jokingly reminded Goku of his current predicament.

"I think I've personally witnessed that firsthand. Haha." Goku admitted in a pleasant chuckle, referring to Aphrodite's usage of the Mount Olympus elevator to teleport him here. Aphrodite, taking note of this implication, gave Goku the stink eye and placed both hands on her hips.

"What?" Goku absentmindedly wondered with a clueless shrug.

The Hunters of Artemis, seeing that Ares's pyromania was under control, took it upon themselves to reconvene with their mistress. The moon goddess in question was noticeably lost in her own thoughts, all of which centered around Goku and the circumstances behind their earlier confrontation.

"_I see._ _It appears this Chi-Chi, as I've suspected, was the person he lost before coming here. Her death was most likely recent enough to still be on his mind, so Aphrodite's choice to pursue him as a "lover" or whatever she was aiming for could not be more poorly timed." _Artemis gathered observantly, feeling progressively more annoyed with Aphrodite's selfish actions. She, however, was smart enough to realize that while Aphrodite did indeed create the problem in question, she, her hunters, and Zeus all instigated it to even greater heights.

_ "Even so, violence most likely wasn't the right way to go about this situation. Goku didn't seem angry at all, given his Saiyan heritage, but… I still think it'd be best if I apologized for my and Zoë's prior lapse of judgement. Well, after the impending trial and this whole Ares situation is dealt with. Huh… what a fool…" _Artemis recognized her mistake and lack of forethought. The daughter of Zeus then grunted, feeling that Ares would make this already compromising situation much worse than before.

Ares, seeing that every conversation was put to a definitive close, clasped his spear and attempted to approach the Combat Arena.

"Now, with all that mopey, depressing crap out of the way, let's get Dionysus or Chiron and gather everyone—" Ares's instructions were interrupted by the loud stomps of an irate, cranky Mr. D. Following close behind him were the confused forms of Chiron, Clarisse La Rue, and Sherman Yang.

"What in Tartarus's Pit is going on over here?" Dionysus shouted accusatively. He attentively perused Camp Half-Blood Forest's surroundings, identifying, to this chagrin, traces of scorch marks and uprooted plant life.

"Huh. Speak of the devil." Ares commented, addressing the peeved wine god and company in sheer amusement.

"How's it going, Cokehead? Or should I say _Diet_ Cokehead?" Ares mockingly greeted. Dionysus simply snorted at this long-overused insult.

"Oh ha-ha. Bite me, Ares. What are you even doing here? Last time I checked Artemis was handling the Jackie Chan wannabe just fine." Dionysus questioned crabbily, taking a sip of his Diet Coke as he pointed at Goku.

"What do you think? I'm making things easier for Dad by knocking that porcupine-haired idiot down a few pegs." Ares answered gruffly. Dionysus exasperatedly wiped a hand over his face, wondering why he always had to be caught up in his fellow Olympians' drama.

"Wonderful. Knowing you, I have a feeling this will cause tons of collateral damage that I'll be responsible for cleaning up afterwards. Just when I thought this camp couldn't become even more of a dump." Dionysus grumbled sarcastically.

"Glad we're on the same page then." Ares lightly sniggered at Mr. D's expense. Clarisse and Sherman, excited to see their divine parent for the first time in quite a while, hurriedly walked up to him.

"Hey. Long time no see, kids. Been causing any trouble lately?" Ares said, smarmily grinning at his demigod children.

"Are you serious, Dad? You're going to fight that muscle head?" Clarisse inquired in disbelief, not thinking for a second that anyone could stand on equal footing with her dad. Ares, seeing that his already enormous ego was being stroked, nodded with a confident gleam in his fiery eyes.

"Hell yeah. You're going to witness your dad kick some alien ass, Clarisse and… uh…" Ares trailed off, unable to keep proper track of every demigod he previously sired. Sherman's joyful expression soured considerably, contorting into one of hurt and befuddlement.

"It's Sherman, Dad. You had me with Lucy Yang?" Sherman reminded Ares of his mom's identity. Thinking over all the women he's slept with in the past, Ares suddenly snapped his fingers in realization.

"Oh right. Mmmmm Lucy Yang. She was a fine one, alright. Mmhm." Ares hummed pleasurably as perverted thoughts of Lucy Yang's once youthful, voluptuous body came to mind. She couldn't really compare to Aphrodite in terms of beauty, but to Ares, she was easily a 9-10 by mortal standards.

Sherman squirmed in discomfort, not expecting Ares to remember his mom on a purely sexual basis. He folded one arm over the other and gagged.

"Gee. Thanks for putting that image in my head, Dad. Real nice." Sherman deadpanned in minor embarrassment.

"Psh. Whatever, kid. There's nothing wrong with admiring a good body when I see one. Aphrodite should know _all_ about that." Ares defended himself with a careless wave of his hand. He then suggestively leered at Aphrodite's curvaceous form, remembering the countless amount of times he made it his. However, such a gaze, to his reluctance and increasing anger, caused Aphrodite to immediately look away and hide behind the still-oblivious Goku.

Zoë wasn't pleased in the slightest by this perverted attitude, showcasing her revulsion through the emission of a low growl.

"Disgusting pig…" Zoë mumbled under her breath.

"Care to repeat that?" Ares spat threateningly, giving Artemis's lieutenant a side-long glare. Zoë ever-so-slightly shivered at Ares's tone, but was too proud to truly cower in fear.

"No…" Zoë exclaimed in defeat, turning around to share full eye contact with the god of war.

"Heh. That's what I thought… _sweetie_." Ares denounced Zoë's honor as a warrior. Despite Ares's status as a Greek deity, Zoë cracked under pressure due to the utterance of this fairly demeaning affront. She instinctively reached for her bow and prepared to fire at the ready.

"S-sweetie?! How dare thee! No man, whether thou be mortal or god, can get away with such a—" The hand of Artemis's was cupped over Zoë's mouth, preventing her from saying a comment she wouldn't live long enough to fully regret. At the same time, her fellow hunters forced Zoë's arms down to make certain that any stray arrow could not be deployed.

"Stop, Zoë. This isn't a fight you want to be involved in. I've taught you well enough to realize that." Artemis whispered commandingly in Zoë's ear. Said lieutenant, beginning to realize the error of her judgement, nodded in understanding. Artemis and the other Hunters then released Zoë, allowing her to patiently wait around like everyone else.

Chiron trotted into view, stroking his straggly beard as he took a closer look at Goku and the slightly torn apart Archery Field.

"Are you certain fighting here is wise, Ares? I fear that there won't be a camp left to run if you battle Son Goku at full power. Just look at the damage produced via a simple scream, if, of course, I'm right to assume that was him." Chiron hesitantly pondered, feeling some concern for the safety for his students.

"Yeah. That was me, Mr. Horse Guy. Usually I'm able to keep my ki under control, so sorry if I caused any damage to your camp." Goku added apologetically, trying his best not to gawk at the fact that Chiron was part-horse.

"It's Chiron and cleanup is already underway in the Dining Pavilion, so your concern isn't warranted as of now. Even so, I still appreciate the sentiment." Chiron neutrally turned down Goku's attempt at apologizing.

"Oh. Good to know." Goku said in relief.

"That's why our fight will be held in the Combat Area. It's big enough not to destroy anything and the other campers, including my brats, will be able to watch us beat the snot out of each other to their hearts' content. It's a win-win in my book." Ares definitively proclaimed his plans for the fight. While Sherman and Clarisse were immediately anticipating the idea, Chiron felt somewhat cautious with it.

"Hmmmm that does seem promising. With a few extra precautions, the forest and Thalia's Pine Tree won't have any chance of being permanently devastated. What do you think, Mr. D?" Chiron mused positively, looking over to his fellow counselor for additional support.

"It's not a smart idea by any stretch of the imagination, but what the hell? Me personally, anything to get these ankle-biters out of my hair is a literal godsend. Plus, it's still dark out. They most likely don't have much better to do until it's lights out at 11:00." Mr. D ultimately went through with Ares's deal. He looked up at the sky, noticing that it was now blanketed with starlight and the glowing moon.

Hestia gently cupped her chin, not wanting to choose a particular side in this debacle.

"I don't know about this. I have a feeling Zeus will be displeased with such an event taking place without his approval beforehand. As I recall, Artemis was tasked with bringing Goku to Olympus dead or alive." Hestia solemnly expressed her doubts.

"She's right. Zeus gets particularly livid when things don't go according to his plans." Aphrodite agreed with Hestia's sentiment due to witnessing Zeus concoct said order not too long ago.

"Like I said, it's far from being a good idea. However, this does grant Ares and the rest of us an ample opportunity to observe Ukog's abilities and overall plausibility as a potential threat. Wasn't that what you were doing, Artemis?" Dionysus logically pointed out. Purposely ignoring the fact that Dionysus got Goku's name wrong a third time, Artemis confirmed his assumption.

"I suppose I can't deny that, yes. The Kamehameha is still a technique my girls and I wish to analyze up close." Artemis revealed her interest in learning about the legendary Kamehameha Wave.

"I have no idea what that nonsense you just said is, but the point still stands either way. The fight _will _be officially taking place here." Dionysus stated as a set-in-stone fact.

"But what about—" Aphrodite attempted to object the occurrence of this potentially catastrophic battle.

"Anymore arguments? No? Good. Then let's get this show on the road." Dionysus ignored Aphrodite's worrisome retort. With Chiron, he then prepared to assemble each of Camp Half-Blood's demigods into the Combat Arena. Ares also followed closely behind them, but took the time to intimidate his eventual opponent a bit more.

"Understand that there's no turning back after this, Son Goku. We'll keep fighting til one of us falls over unconscious or stops breathing. Like for any self-respect warrior, surrender isn't an option by any means. Got that?" Ares darkly glowered, pointing his spear directly at Goku's heart. Goku remained perfectly calm, gently pushing the bloodstained weapon aside.

"The feeling's mutual, Ares. I'll make sure to give you a fight either of us won't soon forget. I can promise you that much." Goku confidently declared with narrowed black eyes. Both fighters took the time to fervently stare each other down, projecting their energies in equal defense of one another's. Ares, not surprisingly, was the first to break this makeshift staring contest.

"Fahaha. We'll see about that, Goku. We'll see." Ares chuckled maniacally. To Goku's amazement, he then magically transformed his spear into an aluminum baseball bat and held it along the right shoulder blade. As he stomped away, Clarisse and Sherman shared their own individual looks of contempt with the original Z-Fighter.

"You better dig yourself a shallow grave, dude. Just by reading his body language, I can already tell my dad won't stop until you're dead." Clarisse cockily advised, drawing a line over her throat to exemplify Goku's fate.

"It was nice knowing ya, pal. Hehehe." Sherman sent his regards, sprinting back to Ares Cabin to personally inform the others of what just happened. Clarisse, after glaring back at Goku with hatred, did the same.

Goku blinked a few times, attempting to comprehend the bad attitude both of Ares's kids seemed to possess. As of now, he was left alone with Aphrodite, Hestia, Artemis, and her archers.

"Sheesh. Those were some scary-looking kids." Goku gulped wearily. The girl, Clarisse, also seemed to exponentially tower over most kids her age. Embarrassingly enough, he couldn't quite tell she was one at first glance.

"They mostly inherit that trait from their dad. Intimidation is a crucial factor to every demi-god claimed by Ares." Hestia explained her knowledge of Ares Cabin's shared characteristics.

"Huh. Guess they won't be hard to spot then." Goku replied with a small scratch of his head. Sighing, he then cracked his neck muscles and outstretched both arms.

"Welp. Wish me luck, guys." Goku called out, tilting his head to directly address Aphrodite, Artemis, Hestia, and everyone else. Before he could leave, Aphrodite speedily grabbed ahold of his arm.

"Goku, think of what you are dealing with for a second! I know you're powerful enough to handle it, but provoking Ares would be a very big mistake for everyone involved. Your reputation amongst the gods could become exponentially worse if he is harmed in any way. Don't you realize that?" The love goddess concernedly warned Goku of the consequences that could result from this potential death match. Goku took a deep breath and frowned at her.

"I know, but what other choice do I have, Aphrodite? Ares will try to fight me no matter what. If I refuse, he could attack me anywhere outside the arena, leaving this forest with a greater possibility of harm. Seeing the destruction his horses and him are capable of causing, I want to avoid that as much as possible. Besides…" Goku addressed the importance of preserving Camp Half-Blood's plant and wildlife among all else. He then hesitated, clenching his fists in remembrance of Ares's hateful rant.

"… he disrespected _my_ wife. I can't just let him get away with something like that! Not a chance." Goku shouted in anger as he tightly ground his teeth. Aphrodite loosened her grip on Goku's arm, realizing that his mind was already made up.

"_H-He… he really loves his wife that much, huh?_" whispered Aphrodite in newfound sympathy. She then bit her lip and closed her eyelids, fully releasing Goku's arm.

"I-I understand, Goku. Just…" the saddened Aphrodite said as she pecked Goku's cheek. This kiss, however, was considerably less enthusiastic than the one in New York City.

"…don't be reckless, okay?" Aphrodite questioned with a melancholic smile. Goku, caught off-guard by her short display of affection, slightly grinned a similar way.

"I won't." Goku promised wholeheartedly with a thumbs up. The Saiyan male then slowly departed for Camp Half-Blood's Combat Arena as he agreed to.

Aphrodite longingly gazed at Goku's back as he strolled onward, realizing how selfish she was in putting so much excess pressure on his shoulders. The love goddess knew that Chi-Chi recently passed away, but she never once thought how much grief Goku must have been going through up until this point.

Artemis, also particularly surprised by how much admiration Goku held for this "Chi-Chi" woman, squinted her silver eyes at Aphrodite in a fierce, disapproving glare.

"Are you satisfied with what you've done, Aphrodite? Causing a fight between your two supposed "lovers" to see which one is more suitable?" Artemis questioningly chastised her fellow goddess's foolish actions. Aphrodite flinched at Artemis's harsh words, but she had no room to deny the validity of her accusation.

"No… I'm not." Aphrodite replied truthfully in a small, shallow voice. Artemis sniffed with doubt, repositioning her bow and arrows in preparation to move out.

Hestia shook her head in dismay, permeating a calm sense of warmth throughout the entire area. This feeling, usually indicative of the hearth on Mount Olympus, helped ease Aphrodite and Artemis's tension ever so slightly.

"Calm down, girls. Antagonizing one another won't make things any easier. As goddesses, all three of us need to properly adjust to the changes our world will inevitably undergo from Goku's arrival. Like we've always done." Hestia maturely uttered, the orange flames that made up her irises growing more evident and intense.

""Right."" Artemis and Aphrodite both agreed with Hestia's point.

"Now, let's head to the stadium. I'm usually not one to enjoy fights, but this is a noteworthy exception." Hestia pleasantly chirped, rubbing her hands together with intrigue. Artemis, the Hunters of Artemis, and Hestia then all approached the Combat Arena's entrance while Aphrodite momentarily stood behind.

Aphrodite's eyes were primarily fixed on her feet. Small tear droplets began to fall, matching the conflicted feelings she was currently going through. Her appearance changed into one of a long black dress that steadily flowed in the wind. To any random passersby, it would appear as if she were in a state of extensive mourning or guilt.

"Oh, Goku. I'm so sorry…" Aphrodite whispered regretfully as fresh tears trailed down her cheeks. Before her mascara could bleed, she wiped both eyes and attempted to compose herself. The love goddess took one prolonged, deep breath and then walked toward the stadium, solemnly praying that this fight would not be one of the respective combatant's last.

* * *

_Within the Combat Arena…_

Camp Half-Blood's Combat Arena was a building typically designated for dueling and weapon practice. Much like the Roman Colosseum, it housed built-in stands where other campers could view upcoming sparring matches or even sport-related events. Recently, specific sections were designated to each of the 12 main cabins, including the usually vacant Artemis Cabin. These were designated by individually colored tarps and symbols, such as a yellow trident for Poseidon Cabin, a thunderbolt for Zeus Cabin, etc. The actual arena itself offered test dummies made of straw that campers could practice close-quarters combat with, but since they wouldn't need to be required for an official fight like Goku and Ares's, they were all placed in the storage closet. Afterwards, the Combat Arena filled to maximum capacity in a manner of minutes. Every cabin, with the exception of Zeus, Poseidon, Hera (which didn't really count to be fair), Hestia, and Hades, had seats occupied by its half-blood or immortal denizens. While Artemis and the Hunters sat in their specified local, the Hermes Cabin, due to its long-held reputation of including demigods that have yet to be claimed, held the largest portion of the entire audience by a wide margin. Said cabin's campers, most notably the Stoll Brothers, were making bets on who had a better chance of winning this fight. Anyone who dared select Goku as the clear victor were threatened with toilet swirlies or, worse, being anally probed by Clarisse's new spear, Maimer, so mostly everyone just put their money on Ares out of fear.

Meanwhile, Aphrodite joined her own children in the stands. This extensive group of demichildren included the head counselor, Silena Beauregard, Drew Tanaka, Lacy, a boy named Mitchell, nine other girls, and four other boys. Silena Beauregard was a 14, going on 15-year-old girl with curly black hair, sparkling blue eyes, and red lips like her mother. Being the designated leader of this cabin, she was, despite her young age, comparatively the most equal to Aphrodite in terms of sheer beauty. She also seemed to be the first of Aphrodite's daughter to notice her saddened demeanor.

"Mom's here?! Yay!" Lacy gasped in gleeful shock. She quickly jumped out of her seat and hugged Aphrodite's waste as tight as she could. Said girl was about 10-years-old with blonde pigtails and a pair of braces on her teeth.

Aphrodite was almost knocked off her feet due to Lacy's sudden impact, but returned the embrace regardless. She lightly grinned at Lacy whilst brushing her hair.

"O-Oh hi, Lacy. How are you doing, dear?" Aphrodite attentively asked. Lacy closed her eyes and excitedly beamed at the love goddess.

"Good! I'll have to go back to school soon, but still good!" Lucy happily replied. She was personally dreading her return to The Brooklyn Academy of the Gifted, but the newfound presence of her mother helped ease those concerns.

"That's wonderful, sweetie. But… um… I would suggest working on getting those braces removed. They get in the way of your smile." Aphrodite suggested while lifting Lacy's chin up with her thumb. Lacy groaned, nodding her head in agreement.

"Yeah. They're pretty annoying, but Dad says I need them if I want to have teeth as good as yours someday." Lacy told her begrudgingly. Aphrodite just caressed the side of Lacy's face, causing the pre-teen to giggle amusedly.

"Tsk. In your dreams, _hon_." Drew Tanaka snorted in denouncement of Lacy's potential beauty. Drew was a tall Asian girl around the same age as Silena. She also had pink eyeliner and long, black hair that was curled into ringlets.

Aphrodite sighed, shaking her head in disapproval of Drew's shallow behavior. She wondered if that was a quality inherited from her specifically. Given her recent treatment of Goku, she honestly wouldn't be surprised.

"Be nice to your sister, Drew." Aphrodite lightly scolded her daughter. She then plopped herself down in a seat, exasperatedly cupping both cheeks in her hands.

"You heard her, Drew. Be nice." Lacy sassily mocked.

"Whatever." Drew said, rolling her brown eyes at Lacy's poor attempt to get under her skin. She then took out a file and began polishing her "perfectly" manicured nails with it.

Silena, seated next to Aphrodite, decided to see what was going on with her.

"Is there something bothering you, Mom?" asked Silena in concern. Aphrodite blew out a defeated breath, failing to conceal her inner sense of guilt.

"It's nothing, honey. I've just been… having a few regrets lately." Aphrodite sadly murmured. In that moment, Goku made his way through the stadium entrance, childishly awestruck by the sheer size of this arena's interior. This behavior caused the love goddess to helplessly squirm in a state of conflicted turmoil. One of Aphrodite's other daughters quirked a brow at this admittedly strange reaction, looking from Goku to her in quick succession.

"Uhhhhhh does it have to do with that hottie down there?" The girl asked while jerking her thumb at the battlefield. Aphrodite slumped her shoulders, a bit embarrassed by the fact that she was that easy to read.

"Yes, kids. I'm the reason why he's here in the first place." Aphrodite admitted morosely.

"Really? That one guy who had his face in the mud a few hours ago?" Mitchell chuckled in gleeful surprise. Aphrodite irritably placed a palm over her face.

"Yeah, yeah. He has a fairly goofy side, but Goku isn't just some ordinary man, Mitchell. He's been a hero to his own universe in more ways than one. I know that from firsthand experience…" Aphrodite lovingly reminisced of Goku's greatest feats. Her expression became half-lidded and dreamy, much to Drew's confusion.

"So, like, if that weirdo is from another world or whatever, does that mean you've been… stalking him?" Drew carelessly questioned. Aphrodite felt a bit offended by this comment, especially since it came from her own flesh and blood.

"No! I was only admiring him from afar via Iris Message. It's completely different." Aphrodite sternly argued. Drew set the nail file down and absentmindedly blew on her pink nails.

"So, "cyber stalking", got it. Psh what's the big deal? You're the goddess of love, Mom. What makes him any different from Ares, Adonis, my dad, or any other men you've banged in the past few centuries? Sticking yourself to one guy seems pretty lame, honestly." Drew attempted to point out the flawed logic behind her mother's pursuance of Goku as a lover. Tired of Drew's rudeness, Silena got out of her seat to directly reprimand the Asian prima donna.

"Knock it off, Drew. That's going too far. Love is a complicated emotion to deal with sometimes. We, including you, should be well aware of that as _her_ children." Silena supported Aphrodite's swift change of romantic interest, pointing in said goddess's general direction. Drew glared back, standing up to haughtily brush her hair backward.

"As if. That's rich coming from you, Silena, or should I say, _Mrs. Beckendorf_." Drew deviously snickered with air quotes. Silena's eyes widened in horror while the other members of Cabin #10 displayed equal astonishment.

"Eep!" Silena squealed, her face beginning to blush like a ripened chili pepper.

In the Hephaestus row, Charles Beckendorf, a 16-year-old African-American teen, lifted his up in sudden curiosity. He had muscles comparable to that of a professional baseball player and short, black hair. His forearms were also concealed by bandages and miniscule scorch marks from working in the camp's Armory all day.

"Did someone say my name?" Charles called out, moving his head around to inspect every row. Silena stood frozen in place, keeping her mouth shut until he sat back down. Assuming he was just hearing things, Charles shrugged and began conversing with his fellow siblings.

"Pardon my language, but what the hell is wrong with you, Drew? I told you that was a secret!" A humiliated Silena quietly hissed.

"Oh boohoo. If you were a_ real_ daughter of Aphrodite, he'd be wrapped around your little finger by now! That's what Charmspeak is for, after all." Drew smugly whispered back, mentioning Aphrodite's trademark ability as a good example of how to win her potential love interest's affections.

Aphrodite huffed exhaustedly, placing hands on both of Silena and Drew's shoulders.

"Break it up, girls! Charmspeak should not be mishandled like that, Drew. It's my inherited gift to you both, so treat it as such. And, Silena, I'm afraid your sister has a point in all of this. Bottling up your true feelings won't do you any good in the long run. I should know, this whole battle here took place because of mine. Understand what I'm saying?" Aphrodite gave Silena some helpful advice on pursuing one's object of affection before it was too late. Silena timidly glanced back at Charles Beckendorf's back, ultimately understanding where her mom was coming from.

"Yeah, Mom. I'll work on it." Silena wistfully promised with a faint, red-lipped smile. Aphrodite then pulled Silena and Drew into a forced group hug, much to the latter's reluctance.

"That's my girl. Now, with all that settled, it's time for all you kids to see what makes Son Goku so special." Aphrodite eagerly announced, her past feelings of grief somewhat suppressed at the moment. She gracefully sat herself down alongside Drew, Silena, and Lacy.

"Oh boy. I'm, like, soooo excited." Drew disingenuously shrieked with a grouchy face that didn't match at all.

"Hm. We really need to work on that attitude problem of yours." Aphrodite considered while lightly stroking her chin. Lacy, interesting in knowing what this Goku guy was like, leaned over to whisper in Aphrodite's ear.

"Is he gonna scream some more?" Lacy asked fearfully, not wanting to clean up a mess worse or equal to the Dining Pavilion.

"Well… there's a possibility he will, yes. Hehe." Aphrodite giggled, motherly rubbing the top of Lacy's head.

Outside of the stands, Goku was still preoccupied with taking in the Combat Arena's many sites. He was particularly amazed by how many demigods there were in the audience, noticing that a wide majority were strikingly different from one another age wise. Ares, on the other hand, was impatiently studying the Saiyan's every movement in an attempt to spot any considerable weaknesses or physical ailments he could take advantage of. To his increasing frustration and intrigue, there weren't.

"_Gotta admit, I'm impressed. Even when wandering around like a moron, all portions of his body are perfectly defended, as if he's instinctively tracking my every move as well." _Ares mentally observed from reading traces of Goku's energy. His walking patterns, while random at first glance, were also covering ground that a potential sneak attack from Ares could occur in.

The god of war then gazed at his baseball bat with a cold, calculating sneer. His face was reflected in the bat's metallic coat, causing him to bask in the indomitable glory of his appearance.

_ "No matter. Regardless of skill, he's no match for a god in terms of sheer physicality and endurance. Once I eventually tire him out, it's game over." _Ares astutely figured. Since all gods have regenerative abilities, Goku would never be able to fatally wound him without a Celestial Bronze or Imperial Gold weapon in hand.

Goku looked around to admire the colors and designs of each divine cabin. Seeing the continually growing audience brought back vivid memories of his participation in the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai competitions. Fortuneteller Baba's own tournament also came to mind.

"Huh, aside from the look, this isn't all that different from the World Martial Arts Tournament back home." Goku commented, feeling a sense of familiarity with this type of battle-centric setting. However, he didn't expect to view a larger, tightly compact section in the dead center of all twelve Olympian cabins. This portion was elevated near the arena's roof, purposely distanced from the ensuing battle about to take center stage. It possessed an orange banner with the likeness of a black Pegasus, Camp Half-Blood's most recent insignia.

Seated in this V.I.P. location were a cranky Dionysus, Chiron, and a large, blonde guy with hundreds of matching blue eyes that extended all across his entire body. Goku could not help, but be amazed that such a person was standing within the same vicinity as him.

"That is, though. And… uh… whatever that eye guy is." Goku sheepishly proclaimed, trying his best not to simultaneously stare at all of those eyes. He jokingly began to wonder if Tien's own Super Saiyan transformation would be something like that.

Dionysus scratched his back, took one last swig of Diet Coke, and prepared to address the audience.

"They need to start paying me for this crap…" Mr. D yawned glumly with bloodshot, bagged eyes. He then cleared his throat and magically elevated the audibility of his voice.

"Alright, everyone. Shut up for a second while I announce what's going on. That includes you too, Stoll's." The god of wine bellowed authoritatively. He directly set his sights on Connor and Travis Stool, keeping an ever-present watch on them.

In Cabin #11's row, said troublesome duo played dumb, pretending not to know what rowdy behavior Dionysus was implying.

"Yeesh. Talk about discrimination, huh, Travis?" Connor asked sarcastically.

"Yeah, I know. What did we ever do to him?" Travis responded in played-up offense. The two wrapped arms around their respective shoulders and sniggered mischievously. Dionysus snorted at their equally elvish smirks.

"Okay, so, apparently, this guy, Sun Wukong—"

"It's Son Goku." Artemis corrected him from within the crowd. One of Dionysus's eye lightly twitched at this correction.

"That's what I just said. Anyway, this guy is Public Enemy #1 on Mount Olympus cause _someone_ couldn't keep it in her pants." Dionysus continued informingly, not-so-subtly gesturing to Aphrodite's direction. The demigods chuckled at this description while those in the Aphrodite Cabin peered down in embarrassment.

"Dionysus! Can't you have a filter for once?!" Aphrodite yelled at the wine god in irritation. Dionysus threw his hands up in the air, looking at her with equal levels of annoyance.

"What? You're telling me I'm wrong in saying that?" Dionysus questioningly accused Aphrodite of denying the truth behind her actions. Aphrodite bit her lower lip, unable to refute Dionysus's admittedly honest summarization.

"But, she's not even wearing pants." Goku whispered confoundedly. The audience, including Aphrodite herself, reacted to Goku's airheaded comment with blank stares.

"Oh yeah. I can see what you mean, Mom. He's _very _special." Drew mocked condescendingly.

"Don't force my hand, young lady. Just be quiet and listen to the drunk ramble on." Aphrodite huffed in a low, authoritative growl. Drew rolled her eyes and threw a piece of gum in her mouth.

"Fine." Drew glowered back, blowing a large, pink bubble as she continued to chew.

Dionysus diverted attention away from the irate goddess and proceeded onward with his introductory speech.

"The point is Ares wants to fight him because of jealous, ego-related nonsense. And yadayadayada, now we're here. Like any typical gladiator match, it will be a fight to the death or brink of exhaustion." Dionysus summarized, purposely glossing over some major details here and there. "Anyone not on board with this?"

"No!" A wide majority of Camp Half-Blood's demigods unanimously denied. There were some notable objections, but they could not be headed.

"Wonderful. Now, you two go knock yourselves out… literally. Oh and there's weapons over there I guess." Dionysus carelessly instructed, jerking his thumb in the direction of a container filled with battle-oriented weaponry. He then kicked back in his chair and drank another can of Diet Coke, patiently waiting for the fight to start.

"Well, that's one way to announce a fight…" Goku weakly chuckled. He was obviously not as passionate as the Tenkaichi Budokai announcer from back in the day.

Chiron, noticing that the credentials of this match weren't fully understood, trotted into view and took over for Dionysus.

"Erm… like Mr. D previously "illustrated", any sort of violence is allowed in this battle, whether that be with a weapon or by one's hand. However, I beg of you to keep damages at a minimum. There are still children in attendance. Demigod children specifically, but still children regardless." Chiron heeded the two with caution.

"Don't worry, Chiron. I'll try my best to keep our fight as far away from the crowd as possible." Goku hesitantly promised with a genuine smile. The aforementioned centaur slightly nodded in understanding.

"I'll have your word on that, Goku. Now, without further ado, you two may begin when ready." Chiron authorized with a wave of his hand. He then stood to Dionysus's left while Argus was still positioned to the right.

"Kick his spiky-haired ass, Dad!" Clarisse loudly cheered, punching her fist in the air.

"Yeah! Send him back to his own world in a body bag!" Sherman Yang shouted out. The rest of the Ares Cabin then roared with pride, giving their father all the auditory support he needed.

"Are Ares's progeny always this barbaric?" Artemis whispered over to Hestia in puzzlement.

"Not necessarily. Their bloodlust only shows when in the heat of battle, much like you and your Hunters honestly. Plus, keep in mind, this is probably one of the only times they'll be able to witness their father participating in a fight. Gods and goddesses are forbidden from interacting with their children for extended periods of time, remember?" Hestia wisely justified the sometimes violent behavior of Ares's children. Artemis placed a hand over her chin, attentively thinking over Hestia's words.

"Hmph. I suppose that's true. However, I fear this will be a difficult experience for Goku all around. While Ares has the given support of his representative cabin, here, with the exception of maybe Aphrodite…" Artemis trailed off, sympathetically studying Goku's expression and mannerisms.

"…Goku has no one." said the moon goddess, pointing out that all of Goku's friends and loved ones were abruptly left behind. Hestia kindly patted Artemis on the shoulder.

"I wouldn't worry too much, Artemis. Goku lives and breathes on any sort of battlefield. He may not be home, but fighting could be seen as a long-standing companion of sorts." Hestia noted Goku's general mindset in combat.

"I see…" Artemis replied in a soft, wondrous murmur.

"Besides, who says _you_ couldn't cheer him on?" Hestia attempted to suggest. Artemis immediately shook her head in refusal.

"That's out of the question. I'm under strict orders from my father, Hestia. As assigned, I'll be taking Goku to Mount Olympus for trial by council. Nothing can change that." Artemis reminded her fellow Olympian of the mission she was strictly ordered to accomplish.

"Understandable decision, but are you certain Goku could really be demonized as an enemy on Kronos's caliber? Even after learning more about his character and past experiences?" Hestia attentively inquired with stern, emblazoned eyes. Artemis tentatively held her breath, looking over everything she's discovered about Goku in the past few hours.

"I… I honestly don't have a definitive answer at the moment. Maybe this upcoming "fight" will rectify that thought." Artemis conflictedly stammered. She narrowed her eyes, glaring at both Ares and Goku as they prepared to charge one another.

"If that's what you think is best." Hestia shrugged resolutely. In that moment, everyone's eyes were now glued to the Combat Arena's battleground.

Ares cracked his knuckles, glaring scornfully at the childish Saiyan as he stood perfectly still. He slowly tipped his shades downward, unveiling a gaze filled to the brim with atomic devastation via mushroom cloud.

"I've got an idea, Goku. How about we skip the trial and…" Ares trailed a hand over his spear, steadily transfiguring into an extremely long broadsword. Much like the spear, this blade was forever scarred with ancient blood stains and had a ruby-encrusted skull as its pommel.

"… go straight to the execution." The war god maliciously sneered, pointing his weapon straight at Goku. Said Saiyan smirked in excitement and adrenaline-filled fearlessness.

"No can do, Ares. I've had my fair share of life-threatening fights in the past and I can tell you, with all honesty…" Goku objected Ares's baseless threat. He fully deployed his ki, producing a more condensed whirlwind around the entire arena.

"…this won't be my last." He coldly stated with conviction. Goku then got into his classic Turtle School battle stance, preparing to defend himself against Ares's first attack.

"Tehehehehe! I'll be judge of that, dumbass!" Ares roared with maniacal laughter. In a flash of blinding light, his biker jacket changed into that of Imperial Gold armor. A Spartan war helmet of the same composition was also adorned atop his head, sporting a red, Mohawk-style frill in in its center. His battle armor was additionally accentuated by a long, shredded cape that was stained red with the blood of his former adversaries.

While certain demigods could not fully look at Ares's current state without feeling extremely unnerved or fearful, Goku was left unaffected and determinedly stood his ground.

"Get a taste of what war really feels like! GRAAAAAA!" Ares cried out angrily, launching himself at Goku with devastating force. The fully armored Olympian, in what appeared to be a speeding flash of golden light, wound up his sword and directly slashed at Goku's body. This attack produced a massive shockwave of energy that sent everyone flying backward into their seats. Some of the arena's stone foundations cracked apart into small pieces as well.

Ares, seeing that his divine blade abruptly stopped in place, assumed that Goku was immediately cleaved in two. He smarmily chuckled with reactionary pride.

"Serves you right for challeng—WHAT?!" Ares yelled in disbelief. Goku, standing completely unscathed, managed to block the sword with only one finger.

"Woah!" Multiple demigods shouted in amazement.

"Awesome!" Lacy gawped from the sidelines in sheer awe.

"I-Impossible! There's no way you were fast enough to react!" Ares growled in absolute lividness, his glowing red eyes exploding with combustible fury. Goku just glared back, completely unimpressed by the power of Ares's first attack.

"This isn't the first time I've dealt with a sword; you know. A weapon like that won't do you much good if enough power isn't put into your slashes." Goku criticized Ares's implementation of his strength. Feeling as if he was being talked down to, Ares clenched down on his lower jaw.

"Grrrgh! You want power? I'll show you **power**!" Ares fumed ragefully. His body erupted with a blood red aura, causing said deity to slightly levitate off the ground. In split second timing, Ares speed blitzed all around the entire stadium with his weapon at the ready. He sprinted from all cardinal directions, appearing to the foreseeable eye as merely a golden-red blur. Goku, utilizing his complete mastery of ki sensing, darted his eyes from up to down, left to right, and every other direction Ares was currently dashing through.

"Eat this!" Ares screamed in mid-air, preparing to swipe at Goku's head. Unfortunately for him, Goku foresaw this attack and stepped backward. Ares then unceremoniously smashed into the sandy platform below, caking his weapon with small particles.

"Tsk. Damnit!" Ares scoffed with pure hatred. He forward flipped away from Goku and began counterattacking from other areas. First, the war god spun himself around in a makeshift tornado, attempting to mercilessly cleave Goku's back. This technique, however, was maneuvered by Goku through a mix of ducking and multiple sidesteps. Ares slightly lost control of himself in this rapid spin, but managed to successfully recover by bouncing off of the Combat Arena's lower walls. He then went flying towards Goku headfirst, much to said Saiyan's disappointment.

"_He's pretty fast, I'll give him that. But, this fight won't get anywhere with what he's doing. It's time to make my move." _Goku sighed with furrowed eyebrows. Taking a deep breath, he bent his knees low to the ground and tightly clenched both fists.

"_What an idiot! He's leaving himself wide open." _Ares chuckled mid-dash, winding up his sword like the aluminum bat it used to be.

"Alright, Ares! Now, it's time to see what I have to offer!" Goku announced challengingly. The aura surrounding his body greatly expanded in height and width.

"Kaioken!" Goku growled powerfully, causing his body to be enveloped by an orangish-red glow. He disappeared in a highspeed flash, effortlessly evading Ares's charge. This immensely confused the war patriarch as he kept moving forward.

"Kaio-wha—GWAAA!" Ares convulsed painfully as Goku smashed a fist straight into his cheek. He was rendered a spinning bullet in the opposite direction, only being stopped by Goku brutally scissor kicking his backside. In a series of one-man tennis, Goku punched and smacked Ares from one side of the arena to the other. This caused pieces of Ares's seemingly indestructible armor to break apart and fly off, unable to withstand the impact of Goku's powerful, experienced punches. Goku then kicked Ares upward in a perfectly executed handstand, utilizing flight to closely follow after him. The fatigued Ares, unable to properly defend himself, was met half-way by an enraged Goku. The Saiyan fully tilted his arm back and released it, producing a downward haymaker on Ares's chest.

Ares was sent falling toward the stadium below, no longer having the proper ability to slow the speed of his own descent. Overwhelmed with a sense of pain and rage, Ares tilted his head to glare dangerously at Goku's ever-watchful form.

"GRAAAAAAA! YOU SON OF A BIIIIIIITCH!" Ares screamed resentfully. He helplessly plummeted into the sand like a faulty space shuttle, causing a massive implosion of energy and desert sand to shoot out. A haze of smoke also permeated throughout the entire area, causing the audience to be unaware of Ares's fate for a short moment. Up above, Goku deactivated the Kaioken and flew back down to monitor Ares's current condition.

Artemis could not help, but feel starstruck by the spectacle that took place before her. She knew the Kaioken had the potential to be fairly powerful, but seeing it used in combat was truly a fascinating sight to behold.

Ares slowly forced himself up from within the smoke, his glowing, red eyes being the most visible quality in that moment. He took short, shallow breaths, unable to hide the aftereffects of Goku's inflicted blows. The most infuriating of these wounds was the golden Ichor trickling from his nose and open mouth.

"Hehe… HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Ares laughed uncontrollably at the sight of his own blood. Goku nervously raised an eyebrow, wondering what was so funny about this situation.

"I'll have to give you props, Goku. You did the one thing many a mortal have never been able to: make me bleed. But, I hope you realize by doing that…" Ares spitefully proclaimed. Flames began to encase his entire body, instantaneously burning his armor's red cape to cinders.

"You've made the biggest mistake of your life, punk." Ares disgustedly chuckled. Goku blinked absentmindedly before scratching the back of his head.

"Eh. It wouldn't be the first, really." Goku sheepishly shrugged his shoulders.

"This isn't a joke, you jackass!" Ares aggravatedly fumed. With an extended wave of his hand, Ares created a massive firewall that directly trailed after Goku. This literal heatwave increased in size and speed, preparing to consume Goku within an all-encompassing inferno.

"Goku, look out!" Aphrodite frightfully warned from her seat. Goku, unable to sense the elemental construct's presence, looked around in momentary surprise.

"Huh? Oh shoot!" Goku gasped, performing a sideways cartwheel to dodge the fiery projection. However, he was unable to move fast enough, causing his pants and shirt to spontaneously combust.

"Oooooh! Hot, hot, hot, hot, hot!" Goku shrieked in minor worry, using his hands to douse the building flames. After a few ki-enhanced pants, the fire was successfully dissipated.

"Phew. I think I put it out." Goku sighed in relief, wiping some sweat off his brow. He then looked down to inspect his damaged gi. There were now various holes and tares in the orange fabric, but the whole uniform was still salvageable.

"Oh man. That was my only gi…" Goku whined in disappointment. Unfortunately, this small "inspection" left him wide open for an attack from Ares.

"Think fast!" Ares speedily quipped, smacking against Goku's body with a more up-close-and-personal wall of fire. This attack also damaged some of his own skin, but the armor helped alleviate that flaw in certain aspects.

"Aaaah!" Goku painfully seethed, flying straight into the backwall as a result. His gi was now rendered a pile of smoldering tatters while his skin had multiple scorch marks and burns all across it.

"I'd like to see you dodge this!" Ares shouted mockingly, successfully managing to slice his sword at Goku's chest. The divine blade slashed through Goku's gi and blue undershirt, managing to emit a streak of crimson blood.

"Graaagh!" Goku whimpered, feeling the sting of Ares's enchanted weapon. He tightly clutched his chest, too dazed to utilize instantaneous movement.

"Is that enough power for you?! How about this?!" Ares grunted, jabbing Goku straight in the stomach and then upper cutting him backwards. As Goku limply glided through the air, Ares changed his sword back into an electric spear.

"Oh and take this with you!" Ares sniggered, chucking the spear straight into Goku's back. While unable to pierce any skin due to the added protection of his aura, the Saiyan was successfully electrocuted.

"Gzzzzzt! Gagh!" Goku seemingly glitched out, the electric shock forcefully sending him back to the ground below. He limply fell on his knees, panting like a thirsty desert animal.

"Hurts doesn't it? The thing about gods is that we slowly regenerate from each injury. Meaning that Kaioken crap you just pulled won't do much good for long. I'll still have as much energy as I did when we started." Ares informed mockingly, tapping to his now bloodless mouth and noses.

Despite the electrocution, burning, and stab wound, Goku did not seem seriously injured in the slightest. He spit out some stray blood from his mouth and cracked his neck muscles as if nothing happened at all.

"_He only got minor injuries from all of that?! You've got to be shitting me!_" Ares pondered in boiling rage.

"That's cool and all, but you should know I'm not using an ounce of my full power just yet. This fight's not even close to being over." Goku bluntly denounced Ares's claims with a care-free smile. He picked himself off the floor, patting his gi down for any sort of debris.

"Don't play that card with me! No matter what "form" you pull out of your ass, I'll still find a way to overcome it. It's only a matter of time." Ares challenged threateningly with a thumb directed at himself.

"Alright then. Mind if I show you an old technique of mine instead then?" Goku pointedly asked whilst stretching.

"Technique? Feh. If it's anything like that Kaioken thing from before, you're just wasting my time." Ares starkly denounced with a dismissive hand gesture.

"Well, it's more like a combination of that and this new one. It won't disappoint, I can tell you that much." Goku cryptically informed with a light smirk. He then squatted down on all fours as if he were a football player ready to hike.

"What? Are you going to beat me with a touchdown?" Ares laughed in confusion, not entirely recognizing Goku's current position. Aphrodite, to her delight, did.

"Here goes. Kaioken x10…" Goku activated a variation of the Kaioken that was stronger and more compromising than before. His feet and arms were buried deeper into the ground due to its excessive pressure.

"…Meteor Combination! HRAAAAAH!" Goku screamed triumphantly. His aura skyrocketed in an instant, managing to literally increase his speed tenfold as he sprinted toward Ares. In a reddish-orange motion blur, Goku profusely slammed his elbow straight into the side of Ares's helmet. This immediately snapped the Imperial Gold helm in large, dented chunks of shrapnel.

"GRAAAAGH! W-what the… h-he—" Ares spat out in a muffled voice. He was then swiftly silenced by Goku performing a speedy, untraceable barrage of kicks at all vital portions of his body. Whether it be the legs, arms, neck, head, or family jewels, no section was safe from Goku's wrathful massacre.

"ATATATATATATATA! WATA!" Goku repeatedly yelled, swiping his legs and feet at Ares in quick succession. Ares's armor, much like its smaller counterpart, was torn to miniscule shreds by each precise hit. Droplets of Ichor also sprayed all over the entire arena, unable to properly heal in time due to Goku's insane agility.

"Ga…hahaga! I'll... kill… you!" Ares mumbled in exhaustion. Blood flowed in between his teeth and mouth as Goku roughly kicked him one last time. Goku then prepared a final windup of his arm.

"HYAAAAH! GAAAH!" Goku screamed, sending an extremely powerful uppercut straight into Ares's abdominal area. The war god's red eyes widened to maximum capacity, popping out of their respective sockets from sheer pain. His armor was also completely destroyed, leaving Ares with a bare, heavily bruised chest.

"DAAAAAAH!" Ares feebly howled in vitriolic agony. He clutched his badly broken form, unable to stop the Ichor from trickling out. It also helplessly oozed from his mouth, rendering him with the inability to speak properly.

"I…I…" Ares stuttered helplessly. In a state of extreme fatigue, Ares was able to be thrown high up into the air by Goku. Seeing that he was at a safe distance away from the demigods, Goku, still maintaining his Kaioken form, looked over to Artemis with a wide smile.

"Hey, Artemis! You want to see the Kamehameha demonstration I promised you?" Goku questioned curiously. Artemis, a bit taken aback by this statement, quirked a brow.

"That depends. How much damage will this technique of yours do to Ares?" Artemis cautiously inquired. Goku stroked his chin in uncertainty.

"I'm not sure. He's a god, so it shouldn't be lethal. I think…" Goku replied back with a slight gulp.

"Alright. Watch and learn everyone. This time you'll be able to see it up close." Goku told the Hunters of Artemis, Hestia, Aphrodite, and everyone else in the audience. With slanted eyes, the Saiyan of Earth then acutely observed Ares as he fell out of the sky.

"_Better up the power a bit just to be safe…_" Goku figured based on Ares's regenerative physiology. He took a deep, shallow breath and again, calmly cupped one hand over the other.

"Kaioken x20… Kamehameha!" Goku loudly announced. The utterance of this combined move shook the very ground beneath Goku's feet, creating much larger cracks in the Combat Arena's interior design.

"Ka…Me…" Goku uttered in a trance-like state. A massive sphere of blue and white ki was birthed in the center of his palms.

"Ha…Me…" With each syllable of this famous phrase, the energy ball grew bigger and shot out various beams of light.

"…HA!" Goku viciously screamed with all his might. A gigantic beam of energy was deployed from Goku's hands, propelling straight toward Ares. The defenseless war god was completely engulfed by the enhanced Kamehameha Wave, putting his descent to a sudden, gravity-defying halt.

"NOOOOOOOOO!" Ares screeched devastatingly. The mix of his divine energy and Goku's ki created a massive explosion that lit up the entire campgrounds. This small supernova blinded the demigods, mythical creatures, and Olympians attentively watching from below, especially Argus.

"Lggghgh!" Argus expressed his pain in a series of gibberish. There were eyes on his tongue, so any sort of speech was rendered impossible.

"Gaaah! This feels like my last hangover!" Dionysus reminisced in bitter irritation. "Shield my eyes, Chiron!"

"And how does that help me, exactly?" Chiron deadpanned, somewhat offended by Mr. D's attempt at taking advantage of his horse body.

Once the Kamehameha's explosion became nothing, but a vivid smoke stack, everyone uncovered their eyes to see the damage. It appeared that the whole topmost section of the Combat Arena was broken apart. Thankfully, it didn't physically harm any of the people in attendance. Well, again, except for Argus.

"Erggh. I might need to cut back on using Kaioken x20 from now on. The Super Saiyan transformations are just more convenient." Goku winced to himself, feeling a light soreness in his arms and legs.

"Are you alright, Goku?" Aphrodite concernedly asked. Her eyes were especially focused on the deep wound Ares gave him a few minutes ago.

"I'm okay. Just feeling a bit sore from the Kaioken is all. Although, I'm not sure what happened to Ares…" Goku attempted to lighten the extent of Aphrodite's worries. As if by coincidence, Ares's limp, incredibly injured body plopped down onto the floor. Much to the entirety of Cabin #5's aghast horror, Ares was completely naked and burned to a considerable crisp. Part of his once tan skin was melted off as well.

"L-Look… LOOK WHAT YOU DID TO MY DAD, YOU BASTARD!" Clarisse croaked in a fierce, uncontrollable rage. Attempting to jump into the ring and fight Goku herself, she was forcibly held back by her fellow siblings.

"Let go of me! I want to stake that shithead's head on a pike!" Clarisse scowled in blind fury, displaying her inner bloodlust.

"Calm the hell down, sis! He's not dead yet!" Her brother, Mark, attempted to calm her down. Clarisse, realizing that the battle wasn't over yet, temporarily eased her urge to murder to Goku.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this… for that type of damage to happen." Goku attempted to apologize remorsefully. He's fought to kill many times, but this battle was not one of them, even in spite of Ares's despicable comments.

"There's nothing to be sorry for, Goku. Ares will obviously regenerate sooner or later. He's been through far worse than this." Artemis stated factually from her own extensive knowledge of the war god's past. Goku glumly slumped his shoulders.

"I get that, Artemis. Even still, it just doesn't feel right to have him like _this_, you know?" Goku expressed his disgust with mortally wounding Ares to the point of near-death. Out of nowhere, he sensed a massive spike of energy originating from Ares's unconscious body. It began to glow a bright, cosmic light completely unfathomable by mortal comprehension.

"Uh, should he be recovering that fast?" Goku asked Aphrodite, Artemis, and Hestia in concern. Aphrodite's green immediately shrunk in utter terror.

"Oh gods no…" Aphrodite whispered disbelievingly. In a matter of seconds, Ares was restored to his original self without any sort of previous injury.

"**Y-YOU!" **Ares temperately addressed Goku. His voice was now much deeper, having a faint echo to it.

** "YOU HAVE PISSED ME OFF FOR THE LAST TIME, SON GOKU! NOW, IT'S TIME YOU'VE EXPERIENCED WHAT A REAL GOD IS TRULY CAPABLE OF!" **Ares shouted forcefully with an accusatory point at Goku. His whole form began to exponentially grow in size, emitting a bluish, white light that became brighter and brighter by the moment.

Chiron, appalled by Ares's course of action, immediately warned his campers.

** "**Zeus's beard! Everyone take cover! Ares is unleashing his Divine Form!" Chiron worryingly yelped, ducking for cover behind Mr. D's chair. An incredibly horrified Argus, having more eyes than anyone imaginable, did the same.

The demigods reacted upon command, shielding their eyes and helplessly cowering beneath their seats. Despite being curious about what Ares looked like in that form, death was not something they wanted to experience at their ages. The Hunters of Artemis followed their mistress's orders and also hid themselves.

"Hmmmm. Now, this is getting interesting to watch." Dionysus hummed in amusement. Being a god, Dionysus was practically immune to Ares's alternate form, so he saw no real issue with witnessing it. Regardless, Chiron still deadpanned at him.

"I mean… Damnit, Ares! You're gonna destroy the whole camp!" Dionysus sarcastically scolded Ares's use of his transformation.

"Divine Form? What's that?" Goku asked in a mix of fear and puzzlement. He shielded both eyes away from Ares, the latter of which was close to unleashing his true power.

"It's a god or goddess's true appearance, Goku. Any mortal who sees it will be instantaneously incinerated!" Aphrodite explained in growing despair.

"Incinerated?! What do I do then?" Goku asked in equal levels of fear. Artemis closed her eyes sympathetically.

"I don't know. I just pray that Ares manages to calm down before everything here is erased from existence." Artemis responded in a forlorn whisper. Suddenly, Ares emerged from his godly metamorphosis. He was now a towering humanoid with fiery blue skin and orange eyes. He also sported a larger, more refined copy of the armor Goku previously dismantled.

"Nice knowing ya, Ukog. It's been… well something I guess." Dionysus bade farewell to Goku, already feeling as if he were a goner.

"**Ever seen an atomic bomb before? Well, that's what my punch is going to feel like!" **Ares stated in a booming voice. He charged energy into his fist, projecting the likeness of a mushroom cloud. With that, Ares speedily punched down on Goku. This created a shockwave of white-blue fire that wrecked the remainder of the Combat Arena's open roof.

"""GOKU!""" Artemis, Aphrodite, and Hestia cried out concernedly. Said Saiyan was laid flat out in a deep crevice, the topmost portion of his gi now completely disintegrated. Ares let loose atomic punch after atomic punch, making certain that Goku was completely broken beyond foreseeable repair.

"**Don't worry! You'll see your wife again very soon. Oh wait… you won't! HAHAHAHA!**" Ares demonically laughed. With each fist that slammed into Goku's body, he coughed out blood and felt the force of ten atomic bombs being dropped on him simultaneously. His eyes drooped ever so slightly, exhaustion beginning to overwhelm his senses.

"I-I won't die here. I can't…" Goku tiredly whispered to himself. His mind began to think over the friends and family he would never see again. At the reminiscence of Chi-Chi from childhood to their time as eventual time as husband and wife, the life within his very soul resurfaced.

"I WON'T DIEEEEEEEEEEE!" Goku roared determinedly. Storm clouds struck lightning throughout the entire battlefield, appearing in conjunction with Goku's rising ki signature.

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Goku embraced his inner rage in a loud, primal scream. His hair stood on end, changing from black to a golden-yellow. His eyes also narrowed dangerously, glowing with an emerald green hue.

The newly formed Goku's activated his aura, resulting in a draconic surge of golden ki to push Ares's fist away from him. The gigantic god of war, feeling incredibly unsatisfied, stumbled a few feet backward.

"**OOF! What gives?**" Ares scoffed irritably. He looked below his feet, noticing Goku as he levitated out of the crater and stood in the Combat Arena's centermost area.

"**Tsk. So, you finally decided to bring that out, huh? Wouldn't say I'm impressed." **Ares recognized Goku's so-called trump card. Goku didn't bother to reply, continuing to glare at the god of war intimidatingly.

Artemis stared at Goku's more angry, serious demeanor in wonder. Was this the extent of Goku's true, underlying potential? Was this why Zeus was so afraid of him?

"_His hair and eyes… they've changed like before."_Artemis additionally recognized from the moment Ares first insulted Chi-Chi's honor.

"W-What is that, Aphrodite?" Artemis called over to Aphrodite in fascination. The golden light of Goku's hair and aura illuminated her silver irises.

"You could say it's Goku's ultimate form…" Aphrodite lovingly replied in admiration.

"The Legendary Super Saiyan." Aphrodite fully unveiled the name of Goku's infamous transformation. Now, the real battle was about to begin. The question was: who would claim victory over the other?

* * *

***So, what did you guys think? I put a lot of effort into this chapter, so I hope it was worth it in the end. The Ares vs. Goku fight will be concluded in Chapter 9 due to how long this chapter was, so I hope you aren't upset by that. Trust me, I didn't want it to be like that originally, but things happen. I introduced a lot more characters this time around, including Hestia, Argus, and some of Aphrodite's kids (including Drew Tanaka, a character who's usually portrayed as the stuck-up popular girl in the Heroes of Olympus series). I hope it didn't seem too jumbled with all of that stuff in there lol. **

**Also, thanks for all the support, guys. 317 favorites and 380 follows is absolutely incredible. I never thought this story would get that popular, so I'm extremely grateful for that. Anyways, leave a favorite, follow, and/or review to tell me what you think. Hopefully, I'll see you soon. :)**

**In case some of you don't know, I have a poll set up for Goku's potential love interests. For the people who voted already, thanks! I'll make sure to see which love interests I'll attempt to develop in the not-too-distant future (I was honestly kind of shocked that Athena took the top spot, but oh well).**


	9. Aftershock

***Hey, everyone! Sorry for the short delay, but I was a bit busy updating my other two stories. I've also been working a lot more lately, so that also prevents me from writing sometimes. Hopefully you guys understand where I'm coming from with that. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this extended conclusion to the Goku vs. Ares fight.**

* * *

Chapter 9: Aftershock

Amongst the night sky, Goku's shining aura as a Super Saiyan managed to singlehandedly illuminate all of Camp Half Blood's entire Combat Arena. He proceeded to glare at Ares's towering visage in silent fury as his golden locks flowed against the wind. The fiery aura surrounding his body also added a slight pressure to the entire local, enforcing gravitational force unto each demigod, magical creature, and Olympian in attendance. This change in atmosphere sent a chill down Artemis's spine while she quietly stared at Goku's new appearance. She was particularly mesmerized by the emerald green glow his eyes appeared to possess. Unlike the innocence laced in his usual gaze, Goku looked upon the eponymous war god with nothing, but fervent anger.

"A Super Saiyan?" Artemis muttered in reply to Aphrodite's prior statement. The love goddess lightly nodded in confirmation, sporting a wistful, almost nostalgic expression on her face.

"Yes. It's a form that was once considered mythological in Saiyan culture. Goku himself was the first one to acquire such a state in centuries." Aphrodite pleasantly informed. She then rested cupped her cheek and blew out a forlorn sigh.

"If only I could have seen it up close under better circumstances…" Aphrodite sadly uttered. She continued to observe the battle between her former and current love interests in ever-present regret.

Artemis pondered over her fellow goddess's description of the Super Saiyan legend. If this form was supposedly a myth passed down from generation to generation of Saiyans, was Goku's existence equivalent in sheer notoriety to her and the entire Greek Pantheon itself? Such a thought seemed quite absurd, but Goku's immense power was enough to prove its likelihood. She ponderously side-glanced at Aphrodite, attempting to gauge the newfound power Goku managed to acquire.

"And is this so-called transformation superior to the Kaioken?" Artemis asked in growing curiosity.

"By a large margin, actually. While the Kaioken can only amplify Goku's power to x20 without causing inoperable damage to his body, the Super Saiyan form has no such limitations. In fact, it can make him over 50 times stronger than before." Aphrodite explained the Super Saiyan's additional benefits. Artemis's eyes widened at how high the difference in power output truly was.

"Are you serious?! That much strength… just seems so inconceivable for a mortal like him or well, _any_ mortal for that matter." Artemis stammered in awe-struck disbelief. Hestia grinned in support of Aphrodite's short explanation.

"She's not lying, Artemis. From what I've personally witnessed, Goku can be quite the formidable adversary as a Super Saiyan. At times, it even seems like Goku's naïve, child-like nature is completely stripped away in favor of pure rage and fortitude." Hestia added further insight of Goku's ruthless nature when in the Super Saiyan form.

"I see. This must be his Saiyan instincts being fully awakened all at once then." Artemis surmised in a calm whisper. Aphrodite then knowingly sniggered to herself in momentary amusement.

"That's nothing. Wait til' you see its other two variations." Aphrodite enthusiastically recollected. "They'll _definitely_ take your breath away."

"Two what?" Artemis inquired, uncertain if she was hearing her right.

"You'll see in time. If Ares angers Goku to an even greater extent, you might be fortunate enough to see them on full display. Well, depending on your definition of fortunate anyway." Hestia assured Artemis that Goku would reveal the greater extent of his power fairly soon. Meanwhile, the still seated Dionysus raised an eyebrow at this strange spectacle.

"I don't get it. What's a slight change of hair color gonna do?" Dionysus questioned obliviously. He gulped down some Diet Coke before taking a look at the arena's now dismantled roof.

"Great. More messes to clean up." Dionysus grumbled irritably. Thinking of how he would handle this situation, Dionysus ended up carelessly shrugging.

"Eh, whatever. I'll just get the brats to deal with it as usual." Dionysus assumed out of laziness and little concern. From within the presiding audience, a series of reluctant groans could be heard.

"Should you be saying that so soon, Mr. D? This battle is far from being over. Gods know if we'll even have a camp left to clean up by then." Chiron pessimistically worried. He was currently crouched down to the floor, horse body and all.

"Yeah, yeah. Just focus on not getting incinerated like everyone else, alright?" Dionysus brushed aside Chiron's logical statement.

"What do you think I'm doing?" Chiron asked in a muffled voice. Dionysus inspected Chiron's position, noticing that Chiron's equestrian posterior was on full display.

"Making a horse's ass out of yourself." The wine god jokingly chuckled. Chiron deadpanned at his fellow counselor's poorly timed quip.

"Never heard that one before." Chiron sarcastically mumbled in response.

"Hey. The opportunity was there, so I took advantage. Live a little." Dionysus defended his joke. He then snorted and went back to viewing Ares's battle with Goku. In the arena itself, Goku continued floating in mid-air while the colossal form of Ares smugly looked down upon him.

"**What's the matter, Goku? Has my can of ass whooping left you speechless or something?" **Ares smarmily attempted to instigate Goku's temper. Unfortunately, as if by direct defiance, Goku remained completely silent. This aggravated Ares to an even greater extent, causing said war god to crack his knuckles.

** "Tsk. Well, if you're not going to talk, I might as well get back to digging your grave!" **Ares shouted threateningly, preparing to smash Goku back into the crater he came out of. However, when Ares's fist made contact with his intended target, Goku completely faded away as if he weren't even there to begin with.

** "An Afterimage?" **Ares recognized in shock. He sluggishly swiveled his body around, attempting to locate the missing Goku. He turned his head around in a 360 degree turn before suddenly spotting Goku up above him.

**"Heh. There you are!" **Ares grunted, smacking his hands together in an attempt to trap the Super Saiyan. An bright explosion was produced from the firm smack of his palm, mirroring the devastation of a moderately sized supernova. His orange, flaming eyes narrowed into slants as he chuckled at Goku's supposed demise.

**"Hehehe even you wouldn't be able to surv—WHAT?!" **Ares gawped furiously, discovering that Goku was not actually there. **"Another damn Afterimage?!" **

Becoming increasingly more enraged, Ares reclaimed his sword from the battlefield ruins. The small weapon magically flew towards its master's hand, being consumed by his photonic skin. In split second timing, the fearsome sword transformed into a blade of blue hellfire. It also became equally proportionate to Ares's massive size and almost cut through what was left of the stadium.

** "Show yourself, coward!" **Ares growled in contempt. He held his sword with both hands, transmitting some excess energy into the blade. Seemingly out of thin air, Goku instantaneously transported himself into the arena and smashed a fist against Ares's spinal cord with little effort. Ares convulsed from inexplicable pain; his newly ethereal body still susceptible to Goku's powerful body blows.

** "GAAAAGH!" **Ares screamed in immense. He abruptly fell to his knees, causing an expansive shockwave to surge across the entire campgrounds. Goku, on the other hand, flew to another portion of the Combat Arena at breakneck speeds. His aura left a trail of bright gold everywhere he streaked by.

** "**_**Impossible… how in the world did that hurt so much?! I should be practically invincible in my Divine Form!"**_Ares pondered in resounding outrage. He picked himself up off the ground to evilly glare at Goku, using his sword as additional support.

** "**_**It has to be a fluke. There's no possible way I can be weaker than that Frieza creep! Majin Buu I can't argue with, but Frieza?! I won't stand for it!" **_Ares attempted to deny his inferiority to Goku's past enemies. Relying on his regenerative abilities, the god of war tightly clenched his fists.

**"Lucky shot, but I hope you're smart enough to realize that Afterimage Technique won't last this entire battle. Neither will your annoying Super Saiyan crap." **Ares ignorantly warned Goku of his inevitable fatigue. Goku folded one arm over the other and shook his head in disappointment.

"And I hope _you're_ smart enough to know that statement is just flat out wrong. The Super Saiyan transformations allow me to handle a lot more than this. To be completely honest, Ares…" Goku argued against Ares's false claim. He then fazed out of existence and performed a bicycle kick straight onto Ares's head. This smacked him back into a much more painful kneeling position.

"…I expected a lot more from you all things considered." Goku whispered, placing two fingers on his forehead and teleporting back to the same position. Ares grinded his teeth together in a mix of soreness and burning hatred.

**"Grrrgh! W-What the hell did you just say?" **Ares hissed scathingly. Goku, somewhat softening his glare, simply gestured to the war god's entire body.

"I mean your Divine Form is very flawed. More flawed than a true form should be. Sure, those punches did some minor damage, but they were just that, minor. They really won't do anything painful outside of my base form due to one crucial flaw: speed. Since your body is so huge, a lot of my attacks can connect without much difficulty. It's one of the reasons why I didn't even bother with using Super Saiyan Grade 2 in preparation for the Cell Games." Goku emphasized the near fatal flaws indicative of Ares's Divine Form. He used the muscular, overtly bulky Super Saiyan Grade 2 as a similar example of raw power taking center stage over actual effectiveness in combat.

"Grade 2? Is that what you were referring to earlier, Aphrodite?" Artemis wondered.

"Not exactly. Grade 2 is more of a small extension to the Super Saiyan form you see here. The real upgrade comes later." Aphrodite corrected knowledgeably. Artemis nodded, deciding to keep her curiosity of these 2nd and 3rd levels in proper check.

"I don't want to stomp on your pride or anything, but in this current form…" Goku trailed off with a deep, contemplative grimace. Ares shook uncontrollably in building infuriation, already expecting what Goku was about to say.

"_**Don't say it, you cocky bastard! Don't. You. Dare!" **_Ares growled lowly. His skin began to pulsate with raging, unextinguishable flames in emotive conjunction.

"…you simply won't be able to defeat me. No Divine Forms can if they're anything close to being like this." The Saiyan of Earth regretfully proclaimed. Artemis was surprised by this bold statement, wondering if the same applied to her own godly form.

"_Goku's either foolish or actually truthful in what he claims. He doesn't seem like the type of person to lie, but for his own sake, he better be. I'm not sure how father will react to such news, especially if he learns of Ares's potential defeat." _Artemis expressed her concerns over Goku's quite "blasphemous" statement. After all, his trial solely relied on the Olympians' favor of him.

**"Can't defeat you? Hehehehe…BAAAHAHAHAHA!" **Ares maniacally guffawed at Goku's denouncement of his true strength. As his guffaws progressed further, Ares's energy raised higher and higher than before. Even the hidden demigods were disturbed by this crazed fit of uncontrollable laughter.

"I… I think Ares might have finally lost it." Aphrodite managed to whisper out. She never liked this particular side of the war god, especially when they were still dating.

"You're acting as if he wasn't deranged to begin with." Artemis monotonously replied. Being a god based on murder and violence, it wasn't farfetched to assume that Ares could be a little bit psychotic at times.

"I'm not denying that, Artemis, but Camp Half-Blood might become Ground Zero if Goku doesn't do something about this." Aphrodite quietly worried whilst biting one of her fingernails.

** "You're a dead man now, Son Goku! You and that blonde hair of yours are getting a one-way ticket straight to Tartarus!" **bellowed Ares in a lust for blood. His eyes erupted in a vast surge of orange fire, contrasting with the calm serenity of Goku's green orbs.

Goku looked upon Ares with some form of pity, realizing that any sort of agreement between them could not be made. Having no further choice, but to comply with what Ares wanted, Goku signed in reluctance.

"I tried to warn you, Ares, but if that's what you want, what happens next will be out of my control." Goku coolly warned Ares about the aftereffects of awakening his full, untapped power. He then looked over to Aphrodite, giving her a slightly sympathetic look.

"_Sorry in advance, Aphrodite. I know he means a lot to you, regardless of what he did." _Goku mentally apologized to his new friend. Aphrodite, noticing that Goku's line of sight was primarily fixed on her, tilted her head to the side in confusion.

"Goku?" Aphrodite quietly asked. Goku slightly grinned at her before turning back to Ares with a fierce glare.

**"Don't worry. I'm sure your universe will be in good hands after you're gone. It'll be as if you weren't even there to begin with." **Ares maliciously chuckled. **"Hehe. I'm sure your wife and sons would be used to that by this point."**

This last comment was the final straw for Goku. Having enough of Ares's foolish insults, he let out an almost inhuman growl and sporadically increased the size of his aura.

"Grrrgh! YOU WANT TO KILL ME SO BADLY, ARES?! THEN LET'S GOOOOO!" Goku screamed at the top of his lungs, releasing high velocity winds at Ares in particular. He squatted downward in mid-air as if making preparations to strike without any ounce of mercy. This was the type of voracious bloodlust that Ares was waiting for all along.

**"Thought you'd never ask, Goku! LET'S SOUND THE DRUMS OF WAR THEN, SHALL WE?! HAHAHAHA!" **Ares vindictively cackled in excitement. As his body trickled with the emergence of additional energy, Ares's armor began to slowly metamorphosize. Fiery spikes protruded from the sides of his helm, said attachment matching that of a Spartan warrior as per usual. His entire face, arms, and legs darkened to that of a dark, shadowy void as well. The Olympian's muscles additionally grew larger in size and were reinforced by dark blue plating made solely out of celestial flame. At first glance, it appeared that Ares was wearing a supergiant star on the cusp of going supernova. The most intimidating aspect of this new form, by far, were the soulless orange eyes that contrasted well with his empty visage. They narrowed dangerously, attempting to burn Goku alive through the inclusion of one glare. While most definitely capable of destroying any mortal or demigod, Goku, through the awesome power of his Super Saiyan form and beyond, managed to shrug it off without any injury.

"**IT'S TIME YOU'VE LEARNED THE CONSEQUENCES OF GOING UP AGAINST A GOD!" **Ares fumed in a fit of rage. He hoisted up his gaseous weapon and prepared to stab it straight into Goku's chest. Expecting this attack, Goku speedily darted to another portion of the sky. Ares was unable to slow his forward momentum and pierced the stadium floor anyways, producing an earsplitting typhoon of fire and wind. This, unfortunately, destroyed another chuck of the Combat Arena's uppermost section. Taking advantage of Ares's stagnated position, Goku blew out a passive sigh and ever-so-slightly leaned backward. He then vanished in an instantaneous flash of lighting and became practically invisible to the naked eye. At unforeseeable speeds, Goku let loose hundreds of impactful blows on Ares's body. All that could be seen were large, gaping craters in the war god's blazing skin.

"_I-Incredible._ _How could he produce that many blows in such little time?!_" Artemis gaped in visible awe. Goku's speed, to her best estimate, was equal to or surprisingly faster than light itself. After Goku's onslaught was finished, Divine Form Ares froze from reactionary shock and pain. Goku then flashed in front of the paralyzed Ares, preparing to execute a final attack. Primarily facing back-first, Goku tilted his head to give Ares an enraged side-glance.

"HYAAAAAAAAAA! TRAAH!" Goku cried, spinning his entire body in a golden tornado. He then slammed his foot deep into Ares's stomach, extending it as deep as foreseeably possible. Leaving Ares with little time to react, Goku somersaulted away from the abdominal area and, like a rocket, launched himself across Ares's chin. This caused Ares to involuntarily clamp his teeth together and spew a mouthful of Golden Ichor.

**"Keep at it, Goku! The pain will only make me stronger in the long run!" **Ares confidently reinforced his chances of victory. Huffing at this ludicrous statement, Goku placed two fingers on his forehead and teleported away. He sporadically used Instant Transmission to travel around the entire stadium, making multiple copies of himself while in motion. Ares anxiously turned around to identify the real Goku's current location.

**"So fast… where could he—TOOOH!" **Ares's nervousness was interrupted by Goku planting a quick barrage of fists unto his knee. As a result, his leg caved in and left him unable to stand properly. Enraged, Ares wound his trusty sword like a baseball bat. The sword, in that moment, vividly glowed with radioactive power.

** "Try evading this, you annoying little shit!" **Ares fearsomely glowered. He heftily swung the sword around, transmitting a massive sphere of blue gas. Much to Goku's shock, it was on the cusp of exploding upon impact.

"GET DOWN!" Goku warned everyone in the audience, including each Olympian. He transmitted some ki into his foot and perfectly smacked the ball away from him. Unfortunately, it landed in Camp Half-Blood's lake and as precedented, blew into smithereens. A large, blinding geyser of divine energy protruded from the water's lowest depths, tearing apart trees and producing large waves in its temporary path of destruction. In the end, a large crater was engraved into the water's surface.

_**"He blocked it that easily?! Damn it all!" **_Ares swore in disappointment. Goku, taking a look at the devastation Ares foolishly produced, seethed to himself in outrage.

"We had a deal, Ares! That attack could have destroyed the entire stadium and these kids with it!" Goku reprimanded Ares's for his potentially life-threatening action. Ares chuckled intimidatingly as he squinted his flaming eyes.

**"You think I honestly care at this point?! All I want is your corpse on display for all of Mount Olympus to see. Nothing else matters!" **Ares sinisterly proclaimed his self-centered intentions. He fully outstretched his arms, emphasizing the sharp, dagger-shaped claws both gauntlets possessed. With that, Goku could tell that Ares was, mentally speaking, at the point of no return. This was definitively a battle to the death whether he liked it or not. Well, as much as an immortal being like Ares could truly "die" anyway.

_"I should have expected him to go back on his word. Looks like I'll have to end this sooner than expected." _Goku sighed in dismay. While aware of the fact Ares could easily regenerate after defeat, his was still reluctant to produce any sort of lethal damage onto him. However, he began to realize that doing so was the only way to stop Ares's destructive rampage.

_ "I don't think Super Saiyans 2 and 3 are required for this, but if things get too extreme, I could always fall back on them as a last resort." _Goku truthfully presumed. He then determinedly clenched his fist, seeing to it that he would end this fight in a swift, practical manner.

"Cover your eyes, everyone!" Goku cautiously ordered. He then shared complete eye contact with Ares and rested both hands on each side of his face. Aphrodite and Hestia followed this instruction without delay while Artemis, mostly unaware of Goku's techniques, peered at them in confusion.

"I would recommend doing what he says, Artemis." Aphrodite quietly suggested to her fellow goddess.

"If you say so." Artemis whispered with a slight shrug. She then shut her eyelids, curious to know what move Goku was attempting to execute.

"Don't know what the hell he's on about, but whatever. Resting my eyes for a bit wouldn't hurt." Dionysus carelessly complied with Goku's order. He rested a hand on his chin and shut both eyes.

**"What are you trying to pull…" **Ares irritably questioned in a low grumble. Before he could fully recognize the familiar hand position, said Saiyan expounded his golden aura and stared straight into Ares's own eyes.

"SUPER SOLAR FLARE!" Goku shouted with a faint echo to his voice. A figurate dome of yellow light encircled the entire building, sharing physical similarities to that of a mobile sun. This sudden emission of brightness caught Ares completely off-guard, managing to blind him for a few moments.

** "GAAAAAAAGHH! MY EYES!" **Ares yowled painfully, covering his hands around both eyes to ease the Solar Flare's intense aftereffects. Taking full advantage of Ares's anguish, Goku repeatedly smacked him across the face to further disorientate said god. Proving successful with this smacking spree, Goku grabbed ahold of Ares's legs and flew upward. He then managed to perform a successful Dragonthrow by spinning him around in a perfect 360 degree circle.

"Take this!" Goku growled, strongly tossing Ares straight into the ground below. The floor crumbled beneath Ares's excessive bodyweight, managing to shake all of Camp Half-Blood in its entirety. As small pieces of the Combat Arena began to wither away, Ares weakly stumbled to his feet. He raggedly breathed, spitting a viscous glob of Ichor into his hand. He squinted his eyes in order to see Goku properly, giving him a cocky smirk.

** "You want to play dirty, eh? Fool. I'm the definition of playing dirty!" **Ares sniggered matter-of-factly whilst jerking a thumb at himself. Resorting to the use of a final gambit, Ares slowly hovered a hand over his sword. In a flash of light, the sword commenced one last change in appearance and practicality. It miraculously became a double-barreled shotgun designed with the likeness of a vulture's skeletal structure. Lying on the top of this gun was a ruby that brimmed with the souls of those who fell in wartime combat. He cocked the gun, using a wide majority of his power as direct ammunition.

** "Normally this only shoots bullets, but what the hell? If you can shoot energy blasts at a whim, I might as well return the favor!" **Ares acknowledged with a gesture toward his larger than average firearm. Holding it with both hands, Ares directed the gun along Goku's general vicinity.

** "Say goodnight, Saiyan." **Ares boldly exclaimed. The gun began to slowly harness Ares's divine energy, glowing a reddish-orange color reminiscent of fresh blood. Its ruby primarily showcased the full, devastating power of this blast as said gemstone began to crack apart little by little.

_"This is it. No need to fully hold back this time." _Goku thought this was the best point to fight back without excessive restrictions. As Ares made preparations to fire his enchanted shotgun, the first Super Saiyan himself powered up equally as much. His golden aura heightened in width and height, radiating with more ki than before.

"KYAAAA…MEEEE…" Goku screamed ferociously from up above Ares. He bent his knees apart, cupping both hands once again. Immediately recognizing the position Goku was in, Ares smugly grinned.

**"Oooh a beam struggle! I'm liking the sound of that." **The war god laughed in anticipation. He repositioned his gun, tilting it in the direction of Goku's signature ki blast.

"HAAAAA…MEEEE…" Goku continued, creating a ki orb that shot beams of light in all directions. However, in stark contrast with the Kaioken x20 Kamehameha from minutes prior, this version was as golden yellow as Goku's current hair color. As both blasts of energy lit up the entire area, Ares decided to play a bit "dirty" as rightly promised.

**"Sorry! Too slow!" **Ares snapped evilly, firing the gun's reddish-orange beam. A cylindrical inferno deployed from the shotgun's barrel and went straight for Goku at near-immeasurable pace. Unfortunately for Ares, Goku suddenly vanished before he could finish his infamous chant. This caused Ares's blast to spontaneously combust in the skies above Camp Half-Blood, producing a massive explosion even larger than previous. It also formed the likeness of a bloodred skull after fading away in pillars of black smoke.

**"Great. What a waste of power." **Ares scoffed in disappointment. He then shook his head, deciding to try again once Goku bothered to show himself again.

**"Feh. I always knew you were too much of a pussy to take it head… huh?" **Ares suddenly caught himself, sensing some excess energy growing in front of his very feet. He looked down, spotting a newly teleported Goku with the golden Kamehameha still charging within his hands.

"**Wait… no. No! Why didn't I expect you to do this?!"** Ares fearfully stammered. Too late to perform any evasive maneuvers, Goku fully outstretched his forearms.

"…HRAAAAAAAA!" Goku deeply bellowed, launching the fully-charged Kamehameha at Ares's towering form. In an instant, the yellow blast completely engulfed Ares and blew up upon sudden impact. Despite having a bigger, more durable form, Ares was not able to fully resist the excess damage produced from this close-range Kamehameha Wave. His head, arms, and legs were collectively burnt to a relative crisp, breaking apart into charred pieces of torn skin.

**"NONONONO SHIIIIIIIIIT!" **Ares yelled out in pure, unquestionable agony. His whole body, armor and all, was concealed by the Kamehameha's resulting explosion, the latter of which rumbled the Combat Arena's remaining foundations.

"Gaaaah!" Aphrodite shrieked, almost falling on her butt due to the explosion's additional aftershock. Artemis did something similar by protectively hovering over her huntresses, particularly Zoë Nightshade.

"Woah woah! What just happened?" Dionysus wondered in confusion, accidentally dozing off during Goku's Super Solar Flare. He was sporting quite a massive headache from the explosion's bright exterior.

"The Instant Kamehameha truly is an impressive sight to behold." Hestia commented in visible admiration and amazement. The golden explosion slightly illuminated her blazed orange pupils.

Once the dust cleared, Ares was quite worse for wear to say the least. His right arm and left leg were completely blown off, failing to regenerate because of the Kamehameha's intense heat. His new helmet was also torn to shreds, one half now containing a sizable hole where energy-based flesh used to be. His sword-turned-shotgun was heavily damaged as well, sporting large, structural cracks and scratches. Overcome by shock, Ares unceremoniously dropped his centuries old weapon and spat out more Ichor.

"**T-This is my Divine Form… how… can…you…" **Ares murmured in absolute disbelief. Goku calmly took a deep breath, removing one hand from the other. The yellow spikes of his hair flowed in the wind as he stood there.

"I already told you, Ares. This form may be strong, but it's really not doing you any favors on the basis of combat. It's as simple as that." Goku attempted to further reason with Ares. Said god of war shook with rage, attempting to ignore the pain for just a short while.

"**D-Don't… talk down to me… like I'm some snot-nosed brat! Who do you think you are?!" **Ares angrily hissed at Goku for his so-called arrogance. He struggled to pick himself up, godly blood spewing out of every pore with each movement.

"Me? I'm the Saiyan who's about to end this fight." Goku simply replied. He then lifted up his arms, shooting a powerful stream of air at Ares's broken form. Shockingly, this Kiai had enough force to send Ares flying above the entire Combat Arena.

"**TRAAAH!" **Ares weakly screeched, trying his best to hold himself back down. This was ultimately to no avail because of his heavily eviscerated limbs. As a result, he was propelled higher and higher into Earth's upper atmosphere, proceeding to move until he could only be seen as a small speck.

"That should be a far enough distance…" Goku commented, placing a hand over his forehead in order to closely identify Ares's location. Nodding in content, Goku turned around to share a small smile with Aphrodite, Artemis, and Hestia.

"Sorry you won't get to see this, guys. I'll be right back." Goku promised in a slightly apologetic manner. Artemis, taken aback by the emergence of Goku's true personality even in his rage-filled Super Saiyan form, tried to stop him from following after Ares.

"Goku, wait!" Artemis sternly called out. Sadly, this warning was unable to prevent Goku from using Instant Transmission. He rocketed towards Ares as said war god helplessly spun out of control. Wasting absolutely no time, Goku let loose punch after punch on all portions of his glowing body. Fresh blood splattered out of each punctured wound, falling to the ground like golden hailstones. Those that managed to reach the surface began to either burn trees or emit small explosions.

** "GAH! GAH! TOGRAAA! GAAAAH!" **Ares sorely groaned, struggling to breathe properly because of Goku's relentless attack pattern. Goku's insane speed as a Super Saiyan continued to hinder the progress of Ares's regenerative physiology, leaving his arm and leg useless stumps.

_**"Why?!**__**Why do his attacks hurt so much?!"**_ Ares frustratingly thought. Out of every single battle he's fought in the past few millennia, this, by far, proved to be the most difficult and stress-inducing one. What proved to be more frustrating about this aspect was the fact that Goku, a mortal alien from another universe entirely, was the one winning. He, an immortal god who fought for as long as he lived on this very Earth, was losing to a guy thousands of years younger than him. And he was losing _badly_.

_**"I'm the damn god of war for Olympus's sake! Why is this happening to me?! TELL ME WHY!" **_Ares helplessly cried out to some non-existent entity. Goku and Ares both managed to reach outer space, illuminating the inky black cosmos as one of them exchanged forceful blows. Finishing up his consecutive jabs, Goku flew above Ares's head and lifted up both arms behind his back.

"GRAAAAGH HAA!" Goku viciously shouted, performing a Double Axe Handle on his head. Much powerful than the one inflicted on Artemis earlier, Ares rapidly spun toward the orbiting moon. His helmet practically disintegrated into tiny pieces as he smashed straight into the moon's stone surface. Ares raggedly breathed in-and-out whilst coughing up Ichor and the last form of sustenance he consumed.

_**"That's enough… I've had it up to here with this overpowered Super Saiyan bullshit!" **_Ares seethed in finite aggravation. _**"It's about time I've revealed the full capabilities of my Divine Form. No going back after this." **_

Shakily picking himself out of the crater he was hammered into, Ares took a precise look at Goku's current position. He made use of his remaining, yet still broken appendages to powerfully bound off the moon itself. This both deepened the crater shaped from his body and sent him flying directly in Goku's line of sight.

**"I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU EVADE THIS, PRICK!" **Ares shouted throughout the celestial vacuum. Radiating with all sorts of nuclear power, the furious god of war grew progressively larger in size. The light projected from his skin became far more blinding and in the process, shone unto all of Earth below. Soaking up radioactive power like a sponge to water, Ares's eyes fully dilated in the physical likeness of twin suns.

"Uh-oh. I don't like the looks of this." Goku mumbled in wide-eyed nervousness. As he instinctively shielded his eyes away from the divine light, Ares projected translucent copies of himself that trounced entire planets in terms of sheer size, especially Earth.

_** "HRRRRGH RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" **_Ares yelled with all his might. His body self-imploded with massive amounts of energy, forming an all-encompassing sphere that consumed the cosmic area surrounding Earth and beyond. Orange embers, despite having no such oxygen to properly burn, flew about in varying directions from its outer ridge. This spherical wall of raw, unsuppressed power slowly ganged on the now-vulnerable Super Saiyan being put in harm's way.

"Oh shoot! Oh shoot!" Goku comically yelped. He teleported from one end of space to the next, managing to narrowly dodge the explosion's unstoppable path of devastation. After running out of places to run, Goku projected his ki and took the blast head on. He crossed both arms in front of his face in a foolhardy attempt to block.

"_This might end up stinging a bit, but…" _Goku mentally assumed. In the end, he dangerously narrowed his eyes and made preparations for defensive maneuverability.

"HYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Goku screamed in response, pushing Ares's explosion back with his own makeshift ki shield. The two dome-like structures cancelled each other out and produced a wide series of multi-colored strobe lights. The orange and yellow energies danced in contrasting harmony, exploding upon complete, uninterrupted impact with one another. After a few moments of synchronized imploding, the flash of light began to vividly dematerialize and reveal each respective combatant.

"Phew. That could have ended up badly for both of us." Goku lightheartedly sighed in relief. Due to his perfectly executed block, Goku had no major injuries to speak of. All he had to his name were small scorch marks and light traces of blood. Ares, on the other hand, experienced quite a few setbacks after their so-called "duel of energies" was finally over. For one, Ares, wasting all of his energy with that final, showstopping attack, was unable to retain his Divine Form. He was now in the nude with pieces of his typical Imperial Gold armor left torn apart.

"Ha… ha… what? I-I'm back to normal already?" Ares gaped in appalled dismay. He inspected his missing arm and leg, noting that they were unable to properly regenerate for unexplained reasons.

"No… this shouldn't be happening. That's really all I have left?!" Ares disappointedly continued. He tried to pump himself up with more energy, but failed time and time again. Feeling uncharacteristically exhausted at the moment, Ares checked over his surroundings. In immediate response, his eyes were met with the sight of Goku fully winding up his right arm. The aforementioned Saiyan's fist was glowing with flaming ki as sparklingly golden as the distant sun itself. Ares could only muster up one proper response to this admittedly horrifying sight.

"Oh fu—" Goku mercilessly socked Ares in the cheek without restraint. This deep, compromising blow instantly broke Ares's jawbone and sent pieces of his teeth floating in the far reaches of space. The Saiyan managed to throttle straight back down to Earth, using Camp Half-Blood's Combat Arena as a sort of targeting beacon. Unable to retaliate, Ares hacked up a figurate sea of Ichor and hopelessly fell at steadily skyrocketing speed. He was dropped headfirst, slowly spinning around like a faulty spacecraft.

"D-damn… you…" Ares managed to cough out. He tilted his head to glare at Goku, grinding his teeth with seething infuriation.

"GRRAAAGH! DAMN YOU, SON GOKUUUUUU!" Ares roared in a state of blind rage. Like a crashing meteorite, Ares burst into flames upon reentry into Earth's atmosphere. His skin began to melt away, seemingly spreading his entire essence in small, almost nonexistent specks of dust. Whether this strange instance of damage was permanent could not be fully ascertained.

"Welp. Better get there before he crashes." Goku sadly uttered, feeling disappointed with this battle's lackluster outcome. He then used Instant Transmission to teleport back to Camp Half-Blood.

Back at the arena, Chiron, Argus, the Hunters of Artemis's, and every demigod in attendance got up from their hiding places. No longer facing the threat of instantaneous disintegration via Ares's Divine Form, everyone examined the damages in relative confusion and awe.

"So, I'm guessing we missed a lot, huh, mom?" Lacy blandly asked Aphrodite. Nearby, Drew Tanaka sporadically fixed up her hair with a look of flustered irritation.

"That's an understatement of the century. This place is, like, an absolute dumpster fire!" Drew Tanaka loudly groaned in revulsion. Panicking, she desperately tried to cleanse herself of any dirt and general messiness that the arena floor might possess.

"You're both right in a way, girls. However, Goku's past battles have been far more devastating by comparison, so I know full well that he's perfectly fine." Aphrodite assuredly replied with a small giggle. This short period of laughter was eventually replaced by sad, contemplative silence. Lightly frowning, Aphrodite looked at the sky in near-melancholic remorse.

"I'm afraid the same can't be said for Ares…" The love goddess whispered sympathetically. She then closed her green eyes and let out a mildly depressive sigh. In spite of Ares's own foolish self-confidence, Aphrodite was, in her and many others' eyes, fully to blame for starting this battle.

"Mm. You were definitely right about him screaming a lot, though." Lacy glumly commented whilst massaging her sore ears. Back in Cabin #8's section, Zoë and the Hunters of Artemis cautiously stood up from their seats. Zoë respectfully took it upon herself to check over Artemis's present wellbeing.

"What happened to Goku and Ares, milady? Did they manage to inadvertently destroy themselves?" Zoë inquisitively asked, assuming Goku and Ares's shared fate based on their prolonged disappearance. Glancing at the olive-skinned huntress, Artemis resolutely shook her head.

"I'm not entirely certain, Zoë. All I know is that the moon was slightly damaged from whatever just happened up there." Artemis revealed, being able to sense any alternation in the moon's external or even, at certain times, internal makeup. Zoë eyes slightly widened in regards to this information.

"T-The moon?! Art thou injured?" Zoë inquired. Artemis lifted a hand up to ease her lieutenant's baseless concerns.

"Of course not. I may have jurisdiction over the moon and its orbit around Earth, but that doesn't mean it is literally a part of me." Artemis pointed out the flaws in Zoë's assumption. Said immortal teen, feeling a bit embarrassed, shyly looked away from Artemis.

"Oh right. My apologies for being overconcerned then." Zoë sighed apologetically.

"Apology, as always, accepted. Now, keep your eyes open this time. Goku and Ares should be back at any moment." Artemis attentively suggested. Zoë, completely understanding her surrogate mother's point, nodded and looked up at the sky. Phoebe and the other Hunters of Artemis mirrored her action in precise unison.

In the stands occupied by Ares's progeny, Clarisse La Rue and her fellow siblings spotted something in the sky. They all squinted their eyes, recognizing the fact that this mysterious object was falling faster and faster with each second. Worse of all, it was heading straight for the stadium's center!

"Hey, what's that up there?" Sherman Yang remarked in confusion. Him and Ares's other children observed the unknown individual more closely, spotting a humanoid body within the orange-red streak. Said form was charred to an ashy, pitch black, crumbling to mere dust in the proximate wind.

"Don't tell me. Is that…" Mark stuttered in shock. Clarisse La Rue, worryingly gazing at her brothers, looked at the fallen figure a second time. Paying close attention to its facial features, Clarisse's jaw hung open in horrified realization.

"DAD?!" Clarisse screamed despairingly. With that, Ares limply spun around like a bruised and broken ragdoll. Gaining forward momentum, Ares became a figurative meteorite and glowed with all sorts of light.

"AGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!" Ares wailed in gradually built-up rage. He mindlessly proceeded his freefall and crash-landed straight into the Combat Arena's centermost point. Emitting a quick flash of energy, the discombobulated war god blew to kingdom come one last time. A gigantic, surprisingly non-lethal mushroom cloud sprouted from his final resting place, appearing as a beacon of orange light from further distances away.

"AAAAAAAH!" Multiple demigods shouted from the resulting shockwave of divine pressure.

"EEEEEEEEE!" Some of Aphrodite's daughters, particularly Drew, squealed in exaggerated fear. A few of them, due to lacking strength, were blown away from the resultant wind.

"WOAAAAAHHH!" Hermes's cabin, the largest and most unruly group, whooped in reactionary delight. After this sudden cacophony of screaming came to an end, Ares's implosion subsided to one of bitter silence and calm. Now, the once proud Olympian laid there in a massive pool of his own Ichor, unable to move, speak, or attack at all.

"S-Shit. I-It… it… can't end this way…" Ares bitterly choked out. Fresh Ichor oozing down his chin, he glanced down at the arm and leg that refused to fully regenerate. The war god closed both eyes and bit down on his shattered jaw, feeling more pathetic than ever before.

"Damnit. DAMN IT ALL!" Ares scornfully expressed his frustration to the entire world. His voice echoed across the stadium's hollow walls, taking all of Cabin #5 by surprise. In that moment, they could tell their father's pride was completely shattered beyond foreseeable repair.

In what appeared to be perfect timing, Goku teleported right next to Ares's side. Emerald eyes narrowed intimidatingly; the spikes of his golden hair flowed about in the wind as he stood back-first to the ensuing audience. Each demigod marveled at the fearsome appearance of a fully realized Super Saiyan, now knowing that Goku was more powerful than they first expected. In that moment, they could almost mistake Goku, fearsome aura and all, for a god in his own right.

"Ignore what I said earlier, mom. You definitely hit the jackpot with finding this guy." Drew lustfully purred, licking her lips in admiration of Goku's muscular form. Aphrodite raised an eyebrow at this lecherous behavior.

"Watch it, sweetie. That might be your new stepfather soon." Aphrodite reminded her in a sickly-sweet tone. Darting both eyes from Goku back to her godly parent, Drew instantly grew nauseous.

"Yuck! Way to kill the mood." Drew visibly squirmed in her seat.

"Just telling what's more likely to happen in the future." Aphrodite shrugged with a sheepish smile. Despite her regrets about their first meeting, being together with Goku was still a must for her. The question was, with Chi-Chi's death continuing to affect Goku emotionally, how would she properly attempt to become the new love in his life?

"_If he'll ever learn to feel that way about me, at least…" _Aphrodite longingly sighed with a downcast look on her ever-beautiful face. She then gazed at Artemis and Hestia, considering their newfound precedence in Goku's life as further obstacles to overcome.

"So, that Super Saiyan form really dominated Ares's Divine Form without a single scratch taken? That's…" Phoebe paused, unable to describe this frightening phenomenon in proper words.

"Disturbing, yes. Much more than I could have possibly imagined, in fact." Artemis tensely muttered. She furrowed her auburn eyebrows, thoroughly glaring at Goku with analytic silver eyes.

"_The scariest part about this situation is that, according to Aphrodite and Hestia, there are still two forms he hasn't unveiled yet. What monstrous feats could these "transformations" be capable of accomplishing?"_ Artemis darkly pondered from witnessing Base Super Saiyan's devastating strength and speed. She then looked in the direction of New York City, attempting to picture how much of a one-sided shitshow Goku's trial will ultimately end up being.

"_And how will they affect Goku's final sentence on Mount Olympus? Knowing the overly cautious person father can be, it surely won't be anything beneficial…" _Artemis regretfully mused. After interacting with Goku for a bit, he really wasn't the type of sinister threat Zeus painted him as. He didn't choose to end up here, after all. He was an innocent victim of circumstance, much like Ares and this whole battle in general.

"_Ares's condition doesn't help much either. Not one bit." _Artemis scoffed in displeasure. _"I'm sorry, Goku. This trial will not be in your best interest. I hope you realize that fact before it's too late."_

Back on the battlefield, Goku deactivated his ki and Super Saiyan form. Regaining his spiky, black hair, Goku relaxed both shoulders and took a good look at Ares's questionable condition. His black eyes coolly locked with Ares's red, explosion-laced ones.

"Don't give me that look. I can still take you on!" Ares roared vitriolically. He tried to call upon his sword, but ultimately lacked the proper amount of energy to do so.

"This fight's over, Ares. You're in no condition to continue. Even a god like you should understand that." Goku helpfully advised Ares to stop fighting. The god of war rudely snorted at the very idea of surrendering.

"Hahaha you honestly think I'm that pathetic?! This is a fight to the death! I won't stop until you're beaten down just as much as I am!" Ares spat with the utmost conviction. Attempting to blast Goku in the face, Ares's remaining arm suddenly fizzled away in a series of microscopic dust particles. It appeared that his body could not endure the inner pain of Goku's attacks any longer.

"No… I'm scattering?! Already?!" Ares gasped in aghast despair. Little by little, Ares's lower body dissolved into sparkling dust clouds. His legs, Goku's observant confusion, completely ceased to exist in a matter of seconds.

"Scattering?" Goku quizzically asked the three goddesses in attendance. Artemis leaned out of her seat to fully answer said Saiyan's question.

"Scattering, Goku, is the closest an immortal deity comes to experiencing death. After a certain amount of damage is inflicted upon us gods, our physical bodies will be completely destroyed and broken into dust-like particles. These particles will then be sent straight to Tartarus and gradually reform after an extended period of time. This can range from days, weeks, months, or even years based on how serious the injuries truly become." Artemis thoroughly explained the process of Scattering and its connection to Greek Mythology. Hearing the word 'death', Goku was not particularly pleased with this news.

"You mean… I did _that_ to him?!" Goku gawped remorsefully as Ares's continued to vanish into nothingness. Hestia, being the eldest Olympian there, decided to pick up where Artemis left off.

"Yes, but there's no need to feel bad for what happened, Goku. My and Chiron's father, Kronos, was cut into millions of tiny pieces, yet he managed to miraculously survive. Since Ares didn't experience as much physiological evisceration, he'll be back to normal after a few months have passed as Artemis said." Hestia attempted to soothe Goku's worries. Thinking over the example she mentioned, Goku nodded in some form of realization.

"Oh… alright then. I guess that means I didn't technically kill him… sort of, maybe." Goku indecisively wondered to himself. Beginning to think too much, Goku grabbed ahold of his aching head in immense confusion.

"Erggh! This god stuff is really confusing." Goku comically whined. Hestia, finding Goku's childish outburst somewhat adorable, lightly giggled.

"That's nothing, Goku. Wait until you find out how Aphrodite was born." Hestia jokingly informed with a sly, child-like grin. Thinking back to the circumstances leading to her birth, Aphrodite's cheeks flushed a deep red.

"I told you not to bring that up, Hestia!" Aphrodite shrieked in embarrassment. Goku, recalling the previous sight of Aphrodite's memories, nodded along.

"Oh right. From what I remember, didn't she come out of some old dude's—" Goku was swiftly interrupted by Aphrodite hyperactively flailing her arms around.

"NOW'S NOT THE TIME!" Aphrodite offendedly whined. She then crossed both arms and glared at Goku in mock anger.

"_Heh. Just as cute as she'll ever be." _Ares melancholically thought to himself, recalling the good times they shared as a couple. Realizing those days were over, he grimaced in deep, envious resentment of Goku.

"You know what, Goku. The poor outcome of this battle made me realize something." Ares grumbled in a more calm manner. His upper body was the next portion to gradually dissolve.

"What's that?" Goku inquired with a slightly quirked brow.

"I've been in-over-my-head for far too long now. In order to truly give idiotic punk-asses like you a proper beatdown, I'll need to _fight_ and train in a similar, equally effective way. Basically get into the proper mindset of a warrior from another universe foreign to my own. Only then can I avoid the unyielding humiliation of another fight like this." Ares logically proclaimed, deciding to learn from this loss instead of tirelessly complaining about it like usual. Goku enthusiastically grinned at this idea, his inner Saiyan being put on full display.

"Great! I'll be looking forward to a rematch, Ares! Just name the time and place, and I'll make sure to be there!" Goku beamed in battle-hardened delight. Ares blankly stared at Goku in mocking amazement.

"You don't get it do you? You do realize that this fight isn't over, right?" Ares coldly asked his former opponent. Goku tilted his head to the side, not entirely understanding Ares's point.

"Huh? I'm not following." Goku naively replied. Ares sniffed in disgust, wondering why he should even try to threaten someone as mind-numbingly stupid as him. Aphrodite's head-over-heals love for him was quite hard to swallow.

"Tsk. I'm talking about the other Olympians, dumbass! You may have a little group of "fangirls" over there, but the other gods and goddesses aren't so easy to please. No. I bet that they're just waiting to psychologically evaluate your "worth" to them as a person of interest. After all, they've collectively seen past moments in your life as well, including Frieza's sole destruction of Planet Namek, Super Buu's Human Extinction Attack, etcetera, etcetera." Ares divulged the Olympians' near-universal distrust in Goku as a person and interdimensional entity. Regardless of his cheerful, self-righteous personality, it seemed they would find any possible excuse to "eliminate" him at all costs.

"_They… they really saw that much?!" _Goku thought insecurely. Now, his privacy, even entire universes away, was breached to an almost ridiculous extent.

"Besides, my dad, Lord Zeus himself, is the most skeptical of your very existence. If you weren't so damn durable, he'd smite you down without any hesitation. He's not the type to let things that threaten his authority as King of the Gods run wild, you know?" Ares noted connivingly, relishing in the image of Goku getting struck by Zeus's Master Bolt. Goku was perceptive enough to realize this action was pretty much believable.

"Through majority vote, the Olympians will most likely trap you in Tartarus until this war with Kronos is finished! And Tartarus is not the type of place you can properly get out of, even with your annoying Instant Transmission crap!" Ares sinisterly chuckled, noting the likelihood of Tartarus being used as a prison.

"War with Kronos? What are you…" Goku questioningly trailed off. Due to Aphrodite not having much involvement in this proposed war, none of her memories unveiled much about it or Kronos himself for that matter. Unfortunately, Ares was not the right person to get straightforward answers from. The god of war simply ignored Goku, breaking into one last fit of laughter before dissolving completely.

"Face it, Goku! You may have won this fight, but you've definitely lost the _war_! BAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Ares furiously guffawed. In an explosive flash of atomic heat, Ares fully dispersed into hundreds of miniscule specks. Once his head completely vanished, the laughter faded away into a distant, quieting echo before silence was all that remained. Ares' sword also broke apart along with him, leaving a mere sensation of fire in the area it once rested.

The entire audience, including Ares' Cabin for different reasons altogether, was completely unsettled by the war god's ironically chilling "death". Seeing as though Ares has never been scattered at any point before this moment, everyone awkwardly turned their attention to the person who miraculously beat Ares in one-on-one combat. Goku, not liking this amount of attention, wiped some sweat off his forehead and looked around the Combat Arena. Wincing at the amount of craters and destroyed architecture scattered all throughout, Goku nervously stared at Aphrodite, Artemis, and Hestia.

"Welp, that was interesting…" Goku sheepishly whistled. Probably being the biggest understatement known to mankind, all three Olympian goddesses sighed in disappointment. Goku might have ended up winning his fight with Ares, but as the aforementioned god already mentioned, the true war was far from being over. First thing in the morning, Goku's trial on Mount Olympus would now officially be underway.

* * *

_In the Hall of the Gods…_

It had been many hours since Artemis and her hunters were sent to retrieve Son Goku. With the day close to being over, Zeus was obviously growing more and more impatient by the hour. He anxiously drummed his fingers on the throne, emitting small bolts of electricity while doing so. Due to Zeus's strict policy on seeing meetings through to the very end, the other gods could do nothing, but twiddle their thumbs out of mundane boredom. Apollo, feeling the most antsy of all, decided to break this period of uncomfortable silence.

"Sooooo is there a reason why we've been sitting here for hours?" Apollo dully asked. Zeus grumbled whilst meticulously stroking his beard.

"Don't test my patience, Apollo. We are here with the shared purpose of putting Son Goku on trial. We can't do that unless Artemis captures him as per my instructions." Zeus strictly chastised his son. Knowing of Artemis's expertise as both a hunter and warrior, Apollo carelessly rolled his blue eyes.

"Seriously, dad? You and I both know that Arty already managed to capture Goku by now. Since he's not really the sharpest tool in the shed, someone as intelligent and analytical as her could outsmart him with relative ease." Apollo pointed out the difference in basic knowledge between Goku and Artemis respectively. Zeus, begrudgingly agreeing with this statement, tightly gripped the armrests of his seat.

"Fair point, but if that were so, where is she now? It's practically nightfall at this point!" Zeus barked in annoyance, gesturing to the night sky Mount Olympus now inhabited. Trying to interpret the exact reason behind Artemis's absence, Athena massaged her chin in deep thought.

"My guess is that she's gathering more information about Goku's character and abilities via face-to-face interrogation. Your prior description didn't leave much to the imagination in terms of helpful insight, after all. Being a hunter, she and the Hunters of Artemis were basically going into battle without proper preparations beforehand." Athena ponderously critiqued her father's questionable instructions. Zeus rested a fist on his cheek, somewhat regretting the complex predicament he put Artemis through.

"True. I suppose it was my fault for not showing Artemis the type of person Goku can be on the battlefield." Zeus mused in minor reluctance.

"By the way, what should we do with Aphrodite during all of this?" Poseidon asked, glancing at his brother and fellow Olympians for their consent on the matter. Hearing the love goddess's name, Hera snorted in a less dignified matter than usual.

"Tsk. What else? That promiscuous tramp needs to receive proper discipline for the danger she's put us all in. Once this meeting is finally adjourned, we should keep her locked away in the temple for as long as she has known of Son Goku's existence." Hera angrily growled in contempt of Aphrodite's foolishness.

"That seems rather harsh, Hera. I feel Ares's jealous rage is already punishment enough." Demeter questioned the idea of harshly punishing Aphrodite. Each of them has partaken in far more selfish acts by comparison, even Aphrodite herself.

"Feh. They both had it coming, honestly. Serves her right for two-timing since the start of our so-called "marriage"." Hephaestus responded in vindication for Aphrodite's past infidelity. Since Zeus was the textbook example of a "cheating bastard", Hermes didn't see much logic in Hephaestus's vengeful comment.

"You have demigod children as well, Hephaestus." Hermes confusedly reminded the god of fire. Hephaestus grouchily deadpanned, feeling as if Hermes didn't realize that having those children was difficult enough to do as is. Regardless of physical attraction, Hephaestus and Aphrodite were technically married for thousands of years, so her adulterous nature was far worse in a way.

"That's not the point!" Hephaestus scowled at the distracted messenger god. Zeus put a swift end to each misguided discussion by roughly slamming his Master Bolt onto the ground.

"Hmph! Enough with the pointless banter, everyone! In order make this trial go as smoothly as possible, we have to keep ca—" Zeus suddenly became short of breath and widened his eyes. He uncontrollably fell to his knees, smacking against the palace floor. Each Olympian immediately leaped off their thrones and began to check on Zeus's condition.

"Father! What's wrong?!" Athena questioned in concern, helping the sky god to his feet alongside Poseidon. Zeus raggedly attempted to collect his thoughts to some form of coherence.

"Ares… his essence has suddenly disappeared." Zeus choked out in shock. The Olympians collectively gasped, never thinking for a second that Ares would get himself scattered so soon.

"B-But… how is that possible? Wasn't he watching over Aphrodite?" Demeter questioningly stammered. Athena squinted her storm gray eyes and thought over Aphrodite's resourcefulness as a love goddess. Amongst the entire Greek Pantheon, Charmspeak has proven to be one of her most deadly, yet useful assets time and time again.

"Aphrodite may not be the strongest among us, but she can still hold her own in a direct confrontation. She, most likely through manipulation or emotional instability, got the best of Ares and managed to escape." Athena presumed through logical assessment. Aware of Ares' tendency to exclusively think with his fists (or weapons depending on the situation), Poseidon began to figure out the direct cause of his recent demise.

"Then you don't suppose that…" Poseidon disgruntledly muttered. Athena, uncharacteristically being on the same page as her longtime rival, nodded in confirmation.

"Yes. Ares most definitely picked a fight with Son Goku over Aphrodite's "affections". And if what father says is true, the cost of challenging Goku head-on was, unfortunately, his life." Athena definitively assessed with a slight frown. Hearing that her son was literally rendered dust in the wind, Hera shivered uncontrollably in instinctive rage.

"_My _Ares?! Defeated by some mentally defective alien?!" Hera angrily screamed. Losing control of her temper, Hera's brown eyes glowed with energy purplish-silver in color. This momentary surge of power shook the entire mountaintop, threatening to rip the Hall of the Gods off its hinges.

"I won't stand for this nonsense any longer! Trial or no trial, that insolent mortal must be put in his place!" Hera swore, her typically beautiful face contorted with maternal resentment. Zeus, solely fearing the unbridled wrath of his wife and chosen queen, shakily picked himself back up.

"Calm yourself, dear. There's no need to be hostile." Zeus hoarsely attempted to soothe Hera's fearsome mood. Hera scornfully frowned, her cape of peacock feathers jutting out like precise daggers.

"You want me to calm down?! After our firstborn son was suddenly blown to pieces without my awareness?!" Hera asked in offense of Zeus' severely lacking concern.

"At least keep your anger under control for the time being. We don't even know how this "fight" even came to fruition. Artemis will need to explain that much." Zeus calmly argued. Complying with his fair suggestion, Hera deactivated her aura in reluctant displeasure.

"Very well. I'll "restrain" myself until then. However, don't be surprised if I cannot contain myself once that… _mortal_ inevitably arrives!" Hera gruffly harrumphed. Without another word, she gracefully sat down on her throne. Each of her fellow gods, including Zeus, uniformly did the same. The aforementioned King of Olympus glared into the distance, both eyes radiating with white-hot electricity while doing so.

"Make no mistake, Hera. By the laws of Mount Olympus, Goku's blasphemous crime will not be left unpunished!" Zeus powerfully assured. He then lifted up his free arm, projecting a massive bolt of electricity into the skies above. This caused the night sky to be lit up with intermingling flashes of thunder and lightning that seemingly spanned from one dimension to another. At this point, Zeus held little concern for Goku's inhuman power and battling efficiency. All he wanted now was swift justice for his beaten, humiliated son.

* * *

***Welp, that's a wrap for Chapter 9, everyone! I hope it ended up being worth the wait because this took a lot of effort to pull off well. This mostly stemmed from describing more of Ares' Divine Form (which was loosely based on the pretty cool looking DC Comics design) and the techniques Goku used as a Super Saiyan. Sorry that 2 and 3 couldn't make their debut here, but they're honestly a bit overkill for someone like Ares at the moment, especially since this chapter is very early on in the story's plot. Speaking of which, Chapter 10 will be the official finale for this first story arc. Expect that installment to be very long and filled to the brim with fun interactions between Goku and the other gods (particularly Zeus). After that, the events of Titan's Curse will officially take place and as a result, Percy, Thalia, and Annabeth will all make their official debut as characters. I'm very excited to write their reactions to Goku, so I hope you guys feel the same lol. With that being said, feel free to leave a favorite, follow, and/or review if you want to. The next chapter should be posted right after Avatar: the Legend of Goku and Pokémon: Dragon Ball Version are updated a second time this month.**

**By the way, it seems that Hestia and Athena are the top picks for my pairings poll (poor Calypso lol). I'll still be keeping it up for a long time, so vote if you can. I'm interested to see how the results change as the story progresses further. **


	10. Trial by Fury

***Welp, here it is. The grand daddy of all chapters lol. Sorry for the wait, guys, but there was a lot of stuff I had to include in this one. Now, with this, the first story arc is finally finished. I hope you'll enjoy its extensive, fairly long conclusion. **

***Also, some very cool stuff has happened in the past few weeks for this story. For one, this story is being fully adapted into a fan comic/manga! It's being drawn by the awesomely talented ANIMAYSON. His art style is a blend of 80s/90s Dragon Ball/Z and Genndy Tartakovsky, so his work looks very official. He also made a new cover page if you haven't noticed already. To check out his character designs and the comic pages, just search up Animayson on Twitter (I would paste a direct link here, but Fanfiction won't let me). Trust me, it'll be worth checking out.**

**Update (July 22nd): The first chapter has been fully adapted on the website, Artstation. Just go to Animayson's Twitter account and click the link there. I'm sure you guys will enjoy it! :)**

* * *

Chapter 10: Trial by Fury

Ares' death brought upon a state of unrest throughout Camp Half-Blood. Not only was the Combat Arena left in ruins, but various trees surrounding it burned to a crisp from said war god's fallen Ichor as well. These trees were also completely unrooted beyond foreseeable repair, forcing nearby satyrs and dryads to work on putting them back in place. Unfortunately, due to 10:00 being just around the corner, cleanup duty would need to be postponed until tomorrow morning. There was a strict rule about all campers being in bed by 11, after all. Even a battle between Goku and Ares could not deter the Camp from its oldest traditions. Goku himself slowly walked out of the stadium with an evident look of sympathy on his face. He observed the entire campgrounds, remorseful for the amount of absolute chaos Ares caused during their fight.

"_Aw man. Maybe I should have used Super Saiyan a lot sooner." _Goku regretfully thought. He looked down at his torn martial arts gi, noticing the amount of bruises and scuff marks located alongside it. Additionally, some small traces of blood seemed to ooze out of his mouth with each syllable spoken. He wiped away most of it with his fist, studying the same bloodstain with a deep, saddened frown.

Following closely behind Goku were the forms of Aphrodite, Artemis, and Hestia. While Artemis exited with her Hunters in toe, Aphrodite's demigod children did the same with their mother. The two groups seemed to glare at one another, their contrasting perceptions of love being visibly demonstrated. Lacy, on the other hand, had her focus set on Goku in awestruck amazement. Despite being unable to view the fight against Ares' Divine Form, the short glimpse of Goku's Super Saiyan form already left a lasting impression on her.

Hestia, noticing the pure-blood Saiyan's look of discomfort, thought it best to help comfort Goku. She calmly walked over to Goku's side, and tugged on his still remaining, yet slightly torn pantleg.

"Don't look so down on yourself, Goku. A wide majority of this damage is Ares' fault, remember?" Hestia kindly reminded Goku. "You didn't do anything wrong."

She smiled at the downcast Saiyan, sporting a fiery, inviting gleam in her eyes. Goku scratched the back of his head, and attempted to return this grin.

"I know. But, I could have ended this fight earlier than it did. Guess I held myself back a bit too much." Goku sighed, pointing out the fact that Ares could have been beaten without much difficulty. In the grand scheme of things, Kaioken x20 really wasn't needed at all. Goku, to his current chagrin, only used it to make the aforementioned fight more engaging.

As multiple demigods departed from the Combat Arena, Dionysus and Chiron came into view. Primarily focusing on Goku's current location, both camp counselors approached him and the others. Dionysus took a final sip of his Diet Coke can and lazily tossed it over his shoulder. The satyrs and dryads were not pleased with this action one bit.

"Psh. If that was holding back, I don't think I want to even imagine this idiot going all out." Dionysus snorted whilst jerking a thumb at Goku's form. "He swatted Ares' Divine Form like a housefly." Chiron nodded, stroking his beard in deep contemplation. His horse tail seemed to erratically whip about in what could only be perceived as nervousness.

"Indeed. I find such a feat quite disturbing." Chiron hummed in growing dismay. Seeing his point, Artemis glanced at the centaur with a neutral expression.

"Disturbing doesn't begin to describe the half of it, Chiron. Ares was correct in assuming my father's willingness to…dispose of Goku. He did send the Hunters and I to personally capture him, after all." Artemis begrudgingly admitted. Aphrodite angrily scowled at the moon goddess, assuming that she would attempt to turn on Goku at a moment's notice.

"Tsk. So what then? You're going to be against Goku in this stupid trial?" Aphrodite accusatively questioned. Artemis just glared back at her fellow goddess's ever-spiteful attitude.

"It's not that simple, Aphrodite. While I do understand well enough that Goku isn't a personal threat to us, the same cannot be said for the other Olympians. Like Ares claimed before scattering, they will jump at any opportunity to scrutinize Goku's power and very existence as a whole. The Second Titanomachy's looming influence will not make this trial a fair one in the slightest." Artemis logically acknowledged. Ares' death itself will make things indefinitely worse for Goku. Such an improbable event would simply give Zeus more of an incentive to seal Goku away for eternity or stop all bodily function with a mere flick of his finger. In fact, minor reality warping was a category many Greek gods/goddesses, especially Zeus, had an advantage over Goku in. Even Aphrodite could be capable of such a power during times of great stress.

To Goku, this was the second time a full-blown war was mentioned in conversation. Although he caught a glimpse of two or three battles taking place in Aphrodite's memories, a current one was not fully unveiled up until now. Maybe it was because Aphrodite wasn't that involved in it just yet? The details were far too vague to really say for certain. Even the name, Titanomachy, was difficult to fully comprehend for him.

"Titanowhat now?" Goku confusedly inquired. The entire group broke into an uncomfortable silence at this. The fact that Goku didn't know anything about Kronos and his Titan brethren was quite polarizing. In a way, there were multiple pros and cons to this situation. For one, Goku would be less susceptible to Kronos' influence and thus, less likely of being manipulated by him in the future. However, Goku's existence could easily give Kronos the idea to pursue alternate universes for potential allies, especially his. That is, if Kronos hasn't already. Such possibilities would inevitably need to be discussed in further detail at the trial on Mount Olympus.

Artemis then tilted her head to study Goku further. She squinted her silver eyes in newfound interest, not expecting Goku's knowledge to be so limited. Given his prior interactions with Aphrodite, she assumed that the love goddess would try to reveal key information about this Earth to Goku for the sake of his own safety. But, to be fair, Aphrodite really wasn't in the right mindset during that moment. Even an oblivious idiot like Goku could tell what her intentions at the time were.

"I see. You really don't know much about this world, hm?" Artemis lowly questioned. Goku nervously chuckled in response.

"Yeah. I don't. Though, in all fairness, I've only been here for about a day. The only thing I really know about you, Aphrodite, Hestia, and the other gods was gathered from reading Aphrodite's mind earlier today." Goku recalled the events of his recent lunch "date" with Aphrodite. Just when Artemis thought Goku had a set limit to his abilities, this suddenly came into conversation. Her eyes slightly widened at the mere thought of Goku being telepathic.

"Y-You… you can read minds?" questioningly muttered Artemis. Goku enthusiastically nodded with a light tap of his noggin.

"You bet! Been able to do it since the trip to Planet Namek…uh…" Goku paused, attempting to childishly count with his fingers. "However many years ago that was. Hehe."

"And of all people, you used that power on Aphrodite? Hahahaha. You unfortunate bastard." Dionysus laughed at Goku's expense. Seeing all of Aphrodite's sexual encounters back-to-back would definitely be an uncomfortable, yet strangely hilarious experience. Who knows how much there actually were?

"Again, Dionysus. I'm still here!" Aphrodite growled in offense. Dionysus, not caring about Aphrodite's feelings, ignored her. This only made said love goddess even angrier.

"It wasn't a fun experience if that's what you mean. I've never read the mind of someone so old before, so it was pretty overwhelming." Goku informed. Krillin's lifespan was obviously far shorter than Aphrodite's, so her memories were much more abundant upon contact. Unfortunately, Aphrodite did not like being reminded of this fact. She audibly gasped with a look of hurt and outrage on her face.

"Goku! D-Don't call me old!" said Aphrodite as she indignantly puffed up her cheeks. Realizing his mistake, Goku waved both hands in an attempt to calm her down.

"Oh. Sorry, Aphrodite. I didn't mean it that way." Goku hesitantly apologized. He then studied Aphrodite's youthful appearance, trying to figure out something to say that would make her happy.

"For a thousand year goddess, you do look pretty good…I guess." Goku complimented. It was kind of weird for him to openly compliment someone about their appearance. Aside from Chi-Chi, he never really paid much attention to that type of stuff. Although, that could just be his obliviousness showing once more.

Aphrodite's heart practically skipped a beat in response. Her cheeks burned bright red whilst shakily pointing toward her own chest in shock. In that same moment, there appeared to be a glimmering sparkle in Aphrodite's emerald orbs as well.

"Me? P-Pretty good?" Aphrodite happily stammered. She then swooned, resting both hands along her left cheek. "Oh Goku…"

Zoë sneered disgustedly at this behavior, even if it was in Aphrodite's character to do so. She'd never understand the purpose of fawning over a male, especially one as mentally bankrupt as Son Goku. The immortal girl crossed both arms in evident pity, more towards this pathetic display of "affection" than Aphrodite herself.

"Hmph. I bet it was overwhelming for a typical male such as thee." Zoë grunted condemningly. "All thy _men_ are just a bunch of perverted pigs, regardless of some minor differences."

Aphrodite furiously glared at Artemis' lieutenant. She wouldn't stand to see a man-hating shrew like Zoë insult _her_ Goku without good reason. She confidently waltzed up to Zoë and pointed a finger straight into her face. The Persian huntress stepped back a bit, visibly irritated by Aphrodite's lack of personal place.

"Look, Little Miss Feminazi. Goku is the last person that should be called a pervert. If you want to insult him without any evidence to back up your reverse-sexist nonsense, then be prepared to deal with me!" Aphrodite passionately defended Goku's honor. Both eyes glowed a vibrant magenta as she haughtily raised her chin up. Despite this, Zoë was undeterred by Aphrodite's so-called threat. She flipped her braid back into place and disrespectfully scoffed at the amorous deity.

"Whatever. Goddess or not, thou is just another mindless bimbo that favors sexual pleasure over thy own self-respect. Why should I listen to anything thou say?" Zoë chastised Aphrodite's very personality and ideals. Aphrodite, in a rarely seen instance of un-lady like behavior, tightly balled her hands into fists.

"Errgh. You smug little—" Suddenly, Silena comfortingly place a hand on her mother's shoulders. She was accompanied by Drew and Lacy as well.

"Calm yourself, Mom. It's not like these "little girls" could even begin to understand what it means to love someone anyway." Silena openly snorted at the Hunters of Artemis. As the currently head of Aphrodite's Cabin, their careless denouncement of love was greatly disrespectful to her.

"Oh please. The love of milady is far more worthwhile than any a man could possibly give." Phoebe spat from the crowd. The other Hunters all murmured in unanimous agreement, including Zoë.

"Right. Like remaining virgins for the rest of your life is soooo worthwhile." Drew sarcastically grumbled. She rolled her eyes at the Hunters as if they weren't even worth arguing with.

"How dare you?! Our chastity is a privilege bestowed by Lady Artemis herself!" Phoebe fumed, suppressing the urge to punch Drew's smug lights out right then and there. Hestia stood in the center of each group, stopping this yelling session before it escalated into further levels of vitriol.

"Please settle down, everyone. We have more important matters to worry about." Hestia reminded everyone of Goku's ensuing trial. "Arguing over the purpose of love isn't one."

After a second or two, the two sides begrudgingly complied with Hestia's instruction. She was the other Olympians' peacekeeper for good reason, so demigods and young huntresses were really no different.

"But, Lady Hestia, aren't thee a virgin goddess too? Shouldn't thou be in direct support of our point?" Zoë asked in confusion. Dionysus was starting to find Zoë's method of speaking quite insufferable. Couldn't she have learned to update her English skills in the past thousand years? Then again, all of the Hunters were fairly ignorant to change. Maybe that stemmed from them being teenagers for all eternity.

"This thee, thou, thy crap is starting to get on my nerves…" Dionysus grumbled in annoyance. He massaged his aching forehead, praying to Zeus that Goku would leave for his trial soon. He had enough messes to deal with at Camp Half-Blood as it. Close by, Chiron stared at Mr. D's comment in disappointment.

"What?!" Dionysus threw his hands up in even greater irritation.

Concerning Zoë's logical question, Hestia shook her head in ever-so-slight disagreement. Her situation was slightly different when compared to both Athena and Artemis.

"While I may be a virgin goddess, that doesn't mean love is something I completely denounce. I just simply never saw an interest in pursuing marriage or motherhood myself. Overseeing the development of a potential family is what I'm best at. It's why Goku's close relationship with his sons and wife particularly caught my interest." Hestia unveiled the exact reasons behind her virgin status. Love wasn't entirely impossible for her to experience, even the romantic kind. There was just never someone she truly cared for beyond friendship or familial attachment. This factor especially applied to her former suitors, Poseidon and Apollo. Hestia's commonly seen child form mainly stemmed from her disinterest in pursuing romantic entanglement as well. However, Goku was, by far, the most interesting man she's ever happened to come across. In fact, getting to know more about him wasn't something she would be all that against. Goku's genuine love for his family and friends was definitely an appealing characteristic to keep in mind. The eponymous goddess of the hearth gestured to said Saiyan with a wave of her hand.

"Since it's his fate that's being determined here in the first place, try to save these trivial arguments for another time. Is that clear?" Hestia maturely lectured each group. Her warm, yet stern gaze produced a sensation of calming heat amongst the Hunters and children of Aphrodite. With this, Zoë, Phoebe, Silena, and Drew glared at one another before swiftly turning around in reluctant agreement.

""""Crystal."""" All four girls replied in unison. The other members of both groups also repeated the same phrase. Pleased with her work, Hestia proudly grinned in appreciation. Her orange eyes were now completely closed to match her sudden enthusiasm.

"That takes care of that. For now anyway." Hestia commented while resolutely smacking her hands together.

"Still not sure how I should feel about that. Being watched by so many of you is kinda weird, honestly." Goku whispered insecurely. He glanced from Aphrodite to Hestia, gathering that they've seen the most out of every other god or goddess present.

"Mmm I suppose it is, Goku. But, in all honestly, such a situation could be a lot worse." Hestia lightly chuckled at Goku's reaction. Even she had to admit that viewing the past events of another universe was a bit strange. In that same case, however, Aphrodite's circumstances were a lot more extreme and at worst, inappropriate.

"Yeah. I guess this trial thing is proof enough of that." Goku agreed, crossing both arms behind his head in contemplation. He then focused his attention on the entrance to Camp Half-Blood. It was mainly comprised of marble columns that were ensnared by vines and neighboring plant life.

"Should we start heading there now?" Goku wondered aloud. Judging by how Ares acted before and during their fight, he could tell the Greek gods were not exactly a patient bunch. The same could be said for Aphrodite too.

"Well, we could always try going in the mor—" The ear-splitting sound of a lightning bolt interrupted Hestia's thoughts. Camp Half-Blood suddenly experienced a massive downpour that drenched the entire area in mere seconds. A cacophony of thunder and lightning consumed the night sky, flashing ever brighter with each consecutive strike. Many demigods rushed to their cabins out of dismay and instinctual fear. There wasn't a storm this bad since Zeus' Master Bolt first went missing one year prior.

"Uh oh." Hestia muttered, gazing up at the massive storm clouds forming above. "That isn't a good sign."

"Just as I've suspected. It appears that father's patience has suddenly worn thin." Artemis glowered in concern. This was definitive proof that Zeus found out about Ares' defeat.

"That's grumpy old Zeus for you. Always complaining whenever things don't go his way." Aphrodite joked. Her insult was abruptly followed by another thunderbolt striking down somewhere nearby. She then girlishly shrieked, fearing that Zeus managed to hear her somehow.

"I would watch what you say, Aphrodite. You're already going to be in hot water once the others find out about your escape, especially Hera." Artemis coolly forewarned. Aphrodite, after fixing up her hair and dress, scoffed at such a possibility. She was already on bad terms with the other Olympians, so she really didn't have anything to lose.

"Tsk. That hag can try whatever she wants. With my darling Goku here, she can't touch me." Aphrodite lovingly proclaimed. She placed herself next to Goku's side and gently rubbed against his arm. Goku, of course, didn't know what to feel about this action besides confusion.

"Why do I even bother?" Artemis sighed distastefully. Even with Aphrodite being more remorseful towards what she did to Goku, the love goddess still didn't bother to take anything seriously. Facepalming, Artemis then tightly secured her bow and quiver of arrows. Her orange pony tail flapped against the winds of Zeus' storm as she looked upon Goku. In the nighttime darkness, Goku noticed that her silver irises glowed an even brighter, more translucent silver. They almost resembled miniature full moons at first glance.

"I'm afraid we can't postpone this meeting any longer, Goku. Will you be able to bear your injuries until then?" Artemis asked, pointing at the small bruises scattered along Goku's skin. After thoroughly checking over each wound, Goku gave her a small thumbs up.

"Sure thing. This stuff is only a scratch compared to what I've been through." Goku exclaimed in recollection of his past battles. His battle with Piccolo during the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament was, by far, his worst beatdown yet. Him getting his bones crushed by Great Ape Vegeta wasn't all that pleasant either.

"_I suppose that's not too surprising, given his insane durability." _thought Artemis. She pondered whether or not Ares' punches in Divine Form even did much damage at all. Could Goku have been exaggerating his pain the whole time? He did split out blood, but besides that, nothing else really happened from a physical standpoint.

"Very well then. Myself, Hestia, and…ugh… Aphrodite will help escort you to Mount Olympus in a few minutes." Artemis informingly told. "Expect the trial to begin shortly after your arrival, alright?"

"No problem, Artemis. I'll do my best to understand Zeus and the others' points about…well, _me_ I guess." Goku replied. Rectifying Ares' murder would need to involve some mutual respect between him and the Olympians anyway. If Goku truly was stuck here for the time being, he didn't want to make any more enemies in this universe.

"I'll have your word on that." Artemis quietly nodded in minor sympathy. She still needed to apologize for her unreasonable actions earlier. Whether she actually had the strength to do so was difficult to say for certain, but knowing Goku, it couldn't be all bad. Goku didn't really seem like the type of person to hold grudges or seek justice for past wrongs. At least, as far as she knew. There was still so much she didn't completely know or understand about him.

"It won't be entirely bad, Goku. Who knows? There might be some Olympians who support your arrival here." Hestia acknowledged the fact that Goku wasn't void of any support. Despite her indirect peacekeeping status as a fellow Olympian, she might even do her part to assist him as well.

"Wait, really? Huh. Wonder who those gods or goddesses could be." Goku thought in newfound interest. He gently cupped his chin, trying to gather direct reasons for why the Olympians, minus Zeus and Hera, would want him around.

"You'll have to wait and see." Hestia mischievously giggled. She then momentarily paused to look back at Dionysus.

"You coming along, Dionysus? This trial technically requires your opinion as well." Hestia asked curiously. She did give up her throne to Dionysus, so input from him was indeed required in this mess of a trial. Said wine god snorted in a mix of boredom and complete carelessness.

"Meh. I'll sit out on this one." Dionysus gruffly replied. "I'm not interested in seeing a one-sided yelling session on the gods' part. Especially with Okug being the center of it."

He tightly stretched both arms, giving his aunt a look of notable exhaustion. Yawning, Dionysus glanced up at the ensuing storm in minor annoyance. He honestly didn't care if Zeus chewed him out for not attending the trial. It simply wasn't worth the hassle and potential misfortune.

"However, if dad asks about me, just say I vote for both sides. Whether he stays or leaves this universe, I don't really give much of a crap either way." Dionysus grumbled in brutal honesty. Hestia expected as much from Dionysus, so she didn't really see a purpose in persuading him to go. He had a tendency to make up his mind quite fast and often.

"Fair enough then. I'll let you know how the results go as soon as I get back." Hestia stated with a small smirk.

"Works for me." Dionysus grunted back. "Oh and another thing…" He raised up his finger, and deadpanned at Goku right afterwards.

"If you do somehow win my old man's favor, this mess is yours to help clean up. Got that?" Dionysus demanded, directly gesturing toward the mass wreckage caused by Goku's bout with Ares. Goku blinked a few times in response to this request.

"Uhhh…sure. I guess I am partially responsible for it." Goku agreed to follow Mr. D's authoritative order. Nodding, Dionysus stuffed both hands in his pockets and passively spun around.

"Great. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get some much-needed shut eye." Dionysus said, waving farewell to Goku and the rest with a backwards wave of his hand. Before fully departing for the Big House, he glared at both the Hunters of Artemis and Aphrodite's remaining demigods.

"All of you brats better get to bed soon! That includes you and your group as well, Katniss Everdeen." Dionysus snapped crabbily. Zoë and the Hunters grew concerned by this prospect. Residing in a contemptable place like Camp Half-Blood was something they did not want to do.

"Go to bed? Here? That's out of the question, Dionysus! And what in the world is a Katniss?" Zoë stated in aghast horror. Being thousands of years old, she didn't exactly get the character Dionysus was referencing. He just looked over his shoulder with little care for Zoë's frustration.

"Look it up." Dionysus simply replied. Without another word, he shuffled toward the Big House and went in. He roughly slammed its cabin door shut, leaving Chiron behind to deal with the rest. Dumbfounded, Zoë pleadingly looked to Artemis for guidance.

"Art thou going to leave us behind, milady?" Zoë asked in chagrin. Artemis closed her eyes, confirming Zoë's assumption with a curt nod.

"I'm afraid so, Zoë. You and the girls aren't permitted to visit Mount Olympus. The Empire State Building's elevator isn't really big enough to fit all of you as well." Artemis calmly affirmed the strict policies of Mount Olympus.

"But, milady. We have just as much of a right to know about Goku's fate as thou. Can't thy trust us this once?" Zoë tried to convince Artemis that her and the Hunters' company wouldn't be all that intrusive. Sadly, Artemis did not fall back on her decision.

"That's just how things are on Olympus, Zoë. I can't go against them, even if it is concerning someone important like Goku." Artemis reminded her lieutenant. She thinly smiled, resting a hand on Zoë's shoulder in order to help comfort her.

"For tonight, you and the Hunters can sleep in my cabin. The others should still be healing in there. I promise I won't be gone for much longer. Alright?" Artemis calmly assured Zoë of her eventual return. After smiling back, Zoë kneeled downward in the form of a respectful bow.

"Understood, milady. I'll patiently wait for your return." Zoë loyally promised. She was closely accompanied by Phoebe performing the same pose.

"I will too." Phoebe added. Artemis couldn't help, but feel proud of them for this action.

"As expected of my Hunters." Artemis commented pleasantly. "Follow Zoë and Phoebe's instructions while the trial is taking place, girls."

On command, the remaining Hunters all collectively bowed in perfect synchronization. Some even drew their bows as a physical sign of respect for their mistress.

"Yes, Lady Artemis." The huntresses replied in unison.

"Wow. What a bunch of kiss ups…" Drew mockingly snorted. She observed the Hunters' actions with a haughty smirk of amusement. She didn't expect egocentric, love-hating feminists like them to suddenly stoop so low.

"You could show some loyalty like that for a change." Aphrodite humorously muttered. Drew deadpanned, clicking her tongue in revulsion of such a possibility.

"No offense, Mom, but I'd rather throw up." Drew scoffed, pointing at her mouth in an over-the-top gagging motion. Expecting a remark like this, Aphrodite just sighed in minor disappointment.

"Can't really say I'd be shocked if you did." Aphrodite lightly chuckled. Rolling her eyes, Drew brushed her hair back in an attempt to rid it of excess rainwater. Getting soaked was definitely one thing she despised with every fiber of her being. That and girls who foolishly claim to be prettier than her, especially Silena.

Amongst the group of Aphrodite's demigod offspring, Lacy was brave enough to step forward and address Goku. She stood directly in front of him, feeling particularly small when compared with Goku's taller than average height. The blonde girl shyly peeked up at Goku in nervousness.

"Hey…um…Mr. Goku?" Lacy hesitantly questioned. Goku locked eyes with the pigtailed demigod in slight puzzlement.

"Yeah? What's up, little girl?" Goku replied curiously. The Saiyan kneeled downward, so Lacy and him could speak face-to-face. Feeling anxious, she rocked herself in place while avoiding direct eye contact with Goku.

"I…I just wanted to wish you luck for the meeting coming up. It's not fair what the other gods are planning to do to you." Lacy proclaimed remorsefully. Suddenly gaining more confidence, she beamed at Goku with a wide, passionate grin.

"So, I hope you come back unharmed! I really want to see more of that Super Saiyan thingy you used on Ares! It was super cool!" Lacy complimented with an enthusiastic thumbs up. Appreciating Lacy's kind words, Goku reciprocated the smile in genuine appreciation.

"Aw thanks…erm…" Goku trailed off, unable to keep proper track of each demigods' names.

"Lacy. I'm one of Aphrodite's daughters." Lacy properly introduced herself. Aphrodite suppressed the urge to squeal girlishly at Goku's interaction with Lacy. The fact he was good around kids made him even more desirable to her. That much could be seen with Goten back in his own universe.

"Well, Lacy, I can definitely see the resemblance. Taha." Goku kindly laughed. Lacy's eye lit up at the comparison between her and her mom appearance wise. She always thought her braces would get in the way of that.

"Really? You do?" Lacy asked in pleasant surprise. Goku nodded while affectionately patting Lacy's head.

"Yep. I'll be sure to show you my Super Saiyan form again real soon, so look forward to it." Goku happily promised. He then removed his hand from her head, causing Lacy to practically jump for joy.

"I will! Good luck again, Mr. Goku! Hehe." Lacy giggled. Her cheeks burned a slight tinge of red in reactionary delight.

"There's no need to be so formal, Lacy. Just call me, Goku." Goku simply advised.

"Okay...Goku." Lacy nodded, running back to her fellow siblings in giddiness. She had a slight spring in her step mid-stride. As usual, Drew found this "display" hilarious and quite worthy of contempt on Lacy's part.

"Remember, Lacy. That guy could be our new stepdad soon." Drew jokingly repeated Aphrodite's words. Glancing at Drew's smug expression, Lacy narrowed her eyes in irritation.

"Hmph. Shut it, Drew." Lacy spat, not in the mood to tolerate Drew's insulting remarks.

"Ugh. What did you say to me, brat?" Drew questioned in anger. Lacy smugly grinned whilst folding one arm over the other.

"You heard me." Lacy hummed in knowing sass. Drew seethed, shakily raising up a clenched fist in outrage.

"Errrgh. You are _so_ going to get it, brace face!" Drew scornfully threatened her half-sister. Lacy, undeterred by such a baseless threat, smirked at her in mock sweetness.

"Say what you want about my face, but at least my makeup isn't bleeding all over it." Lacy pointed out. Drew suddenly gasped in horror, dabbing a few fingers on her drenched face to see if this…terrifying claim was true. Unfortunately for her, some mascara was dripping along the sides of her cheeks as Lacy told.

"W-What did you sa—" Drew mumbled in steadily rising infuriation. Before another pointless argument could ensue, Silena scooted Lacy and Drew toward the direction of Cabin #10.

"That's enough, Drew. Like Mr. D said, we're all going straight to bed once we get back to the cabin." Silena maturely instructed. While Lacy and the others immediately followed her orders, Drew still felt obligated to act difficult and passive-aggressive.

"Tsk. Whatever you say, _Ms. Beauregard._" Drew sarcastically whispered. She then flicked her hair backward and begrudgingly departed for Aphrodite's cabin. The other demigods did the same while Lacy waved back at Aphrodite and Goku one last time.

Silena scrunched up her beautiful face, feeling particularly frustrated with Drew's unruly behavior. She didn't even want to think of the possibility that Drew could become head counselor someday. After breathily sighing in exasperation, Silena fixed her blue eyes on Aphrodite.

"Best of luck on Olympus, Mom. Hopefully their sentencing on Goku doesn't end up too harsh." Silena sent her regards. Aphrodite glumly nodded, unable to fully predict how Goku's would pan out. She smiled at her daughter with a strained, slightly downcast grin.

"We'll see, sweetie. We'll see." Aphrodite uncertainly murmured. After a moment of contemplative silence, Silena left Goku, her mother, and everyone else to their own devices. She then opened the door leading into Aphrodite's cabin and shut it.

"So, are we leaving then?" Goku inquired to Aphrodite, Artemis, and Hestia. The latter nodded her head in confirmation.

"I'm afraid so. If we postpone this trial any longer, Zeus will throw an even bigger tantrum." Hestia inferred from prior experience with Zeus' anger.

"He's that impatient, huh? Hmmm…" Goku deeply pondered to himself. Thinking over the fastest possible method of travel they could use, an idea suddenly dawned on the carefree Saiyan's mind.

"I've got it! Instead of walking all the way back to that Empire State whatever, how about I just use Instant Transmission?" Goku helpfully suggested.

"Oh right. That's the teleportation technique you used to fight Ares with." Artemis evidently recognized. She supposed that would be less time consuming than walking back to New York City on foot.

"Yeah. Since that desk lady's presence didn't seem human, she should be pretty easy to track down. I'll just need to focus." Goku recalled the Mist's effects on mythical creatures. He then placed two fingers on the bridge of his nose, trying to locate the aforementioned woman's ki signature. Amidst the various occupants of Manhattan, Goku successfully managed to pinpoint the lady's energy and exact location.

"Ah there she is!" Goku stated in relief. "Grab any part of my body, guys!"

Artemis grabbed ahold of Goku's shoulder while Hestia securely latched onto his back. Aphrodite, on the other hand, took Goku's wording a bit too literally. She squinted her eyes, and mischievously studied Goku from top-to-bottom.

"You said any part? Mmmm." Aphrodite mused. She then leeringly stared at the crotch area of Goku's, causing said Saiyan to feel a bit uncomfortable. The fact that she began suggestively licking her lips didn't help much either.

"Uh… anywhere above the waist I mean." Goku awkwardly rephrased his previous statement. Aphrodite disappointedly pouted at this correction.

"Hmph. You're no fun, dear." Aphrodite playfully grumbled. Smiling, she then securely wrapped her arm around Goku's free one. Goku, of course, didn't really show that much of a reaction.

"How deplorable of you, Aphrodite. But, then again, I wouldn't say I'm shocked." Artemis chastised Aphrodite's inappropriate attitude. Glaring at the moon goddess, Aphrodite puffed up her cheeks in firm annoyance.

"It was just a joke. Lighten up, stick-in-the-mud." Aphrodite deadpanned. Artemis narrowed her eyes, having a low tolerance for Aphrodite's lack of restraint. She obviously had remorse for bringing Goku here, but aside from that, Aphrodite still took everything around her with a grain of salt. This could especially be applied to her previous "relationships" with Ares, Adonis, and other men she slept with. Artemis didn't know why, but she felt concern for Goku in this situation. After tragically losing his wife, he was, by far, the last person who deserved to be Aphrodite's play thing or one-night stand.

"This is a serious situation, Aphrodite. And one _you_ inadvertently caused in the first place." Artemis fervently reminded the love goddess.

"Let's save this kind of talk for the trial, girls. We can't afford to waste any more time." Hestia called from behind Goku's shoulders. Her small body was practically glued to Goku's gi, using one of his shoulders as a makeshift handlebar.

"Why are you sitting on me like that, Hestia?" Goku asked, darting his eyes toward the homely goddess. Hestia shrugged with a short smile on her face.

"No reason in particular, really. It's just more comfortable this way with my child form." Hestia explained. She gestured to her short arms and legs as further emphasis.

"Guess that works for me." Goku replied. "Hang on tight, everybody!"

Fully closing in on Phyllis' ki, Goku and the three goddesses dematerialized into thin air. They all collectively vanished, leaving no trace of them whatsoever. Zoë and Phoebe, while slightly taken aback by this bizarre spectacle, led the other Hunters to Artemis' cabin without another word. Seeing this, Chiron felt somewhat relieved by Goku's departure. With him gone, hopefully Camp Half-Blood could be built back to some form of normalcy. However, the Combat Arena would, no question, require the most extensive refurbishment. The wise centaur trotted in a circle, attempting to spot any sign of foreseeable damage.

"Hmm it's going to take a while for this camp to be back in working condition." Chiron muttered in dismay. "That Goku character is indeed an anomaly."

While ponderously stroking his beard, Chiron spotted something within his field of vision. He tilted a portion of his body to unveil who this mysterious person, object, or creature was. Concealed behind some of the Combat Arena's shrapnel was a shivering, visibly furious Clarisse La Rue. She tightly held Maimer in both hands as it glowed with red bolts of static electricity. Her teeth were tightly clamped together, appearing as if she were infuriated with a task she let slip away.

"Any particular reason why you hesitated, Clarisse?" Chiron questioningly addressed. Clarisse widened her eyes in sudden shock. She didn't think her hiding place could be so easily revealed. Cursing herself, Clarisse quietly stepped out of the shadows, so she could talk with Chiron.

"How did you know I was there?" Clarisse bitterly questioned. She roughly crossed her arms and stuck Maimer into the ground.

"I've trained heroes for quite a few millennia at this point. It doesn't take much effort to spot a hidden attacker, even when their presence is concealed." Chiron knowledgably explained. He perused Clarisse's appearance and body language, noting she was currently under a lot of stress and anger.

"Plus, judging from Ares' humiliating defeat, your hatred of Son Goku is quite noticeable." Chiron identified Clarisse's lust for vengeance against Goku. To be fair, all of Ares' other kids probably felt the same way. Just hearing the accursed name, Son Goku, was enough to make Clarisse's blood boil.

"What else should I feel?! That damn bastard literally scattered my dad and his pride into a million different pieces! By the time he reforms, he'll be the absolute laughing stock of Mount Olympus." Clarisse furiously hissed. She knew that Ares' reputation would be ruined just as much as the arena he fought in. Because of Goku, the other cabins would no longer feel any sort of fear or respect for Ares'. They'd just laugh and insult the war god as if he were nothing. Beyond any shadow of doubt, that was a prospect she would not dare to stand for.

"I wanted revenge the very moment my dad dispersed. That Goku prick needed to experience just as much pain as he inflicted. That's why I planned to sneak attack him with my spear after leaving the arena. But…" Clarisse hesitated, clenching her fists in bitterness. She looked down at the grass in firm resentment of her own cowardice and, most baffling, fear.

"…I hesitated. It wasn't because of Aphrodite, Artemis, Hestia, or the prissy Hunters being there. No, I hesitated to fight him myself… because… because…" Clarisse choked angrily, trying her hardest to prevent tears from shedding. She fell to her knees and powerfully slammed a fist on the ground.

"I'm too damn weak to do anything… against someone like _him_! What kind of pathetic excuse for a daughter am I?!" Clarisse shouted in frustration. Maimer's arrowhead became more electrified in response to the frantic emotional state of its wielder.

Chiron could only look upon Clarisse in great remorse. This was one of the only times where Clarisse truly felt powerless and broken beyond belief. She was never really the type of person to get truly emotional, so this moment of weakness was quite rife for concern. It seemed that her father's hopeless fight with Goku was not a battle she expected to witness firsthand. Sure, Percy Jackson allegedly bested Ares in combat about a year ago, but not to the point where he would be stuck reforming in Tartarus for months on end. The centaur tried his best to think of an action that could aid in remedying Clarisse's sorrow.

"I realize your father's defeat is difficult to grasp, Clarisse. Goku is an entity we and the Olympians themselves were not fully able to comprehend at first. This trial is being held within good reason, after all." Chiron sympathetically understood Clarisse's frustrations.

"There's just so much we don't know about him yet. His power, his origins, his home, his friends, his enemies, and most importantly, what exactly he even fights for to begin with. That is what makes him a formidable, yet surprisingly fascinating individual. Who knows? As much as I don't want to think this, he could lead to either Kronos' eventual rise… or fall." Chiron proclaimed, acknowledging the fact that Goku had as much of a chance to be a potential ally as a foe. Snorting, Clarisse picked herself up and firmly parted Maimer from the ground below.

"Tsk. I don't give a rat's ass about any of that. All I care about is Zeus tossing Goku into Tartarus to give him his just desserts. Maybe then, my dad's honor as a warrior will be kept intact." Clarisse vitriolically hoped that Goku would face punishment for his recent "crime". Chiron just hummed at this response with slight interest.

"Hmmm well, if you are so passionate about preserving Ares' dignity, I suggest improving yourself in terms of strength. A true hero always knows when to better themselves, even when it seems like there is nothing left to work on." Chiron wisely advised.

"Yeah, yeah. You're acting as if I wasn't doing that stuff already." Clarisse grunted with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"That's not what I was implying, Clarisse. In fact, you could say I have a proposition that requires said strength enhancement." Chiron subtly offered. The daughter of Ares paused to glance at Chiron suspiciously.

"What are you getting at, Chiron?" Clarisse asked with a quirk of her brow. Chiron scanned the entire campgrounds, making certain that every demigod and Hunter of Artemis was in their respective cabin.

"We can't discuss it out in the open like this. It's a secret scouting mission that concerns the safety of Camp Half-Blood itself." Chiron lowly whispered. "I'll talk to you about it in the Big House alongside Mr. D. He mas meaning to ask you about it for some time now."

Clarisse's interest in this proposition suddenly grew at the mention of "secret" and Mr. D. If he was the one who came up with this mission, then it must have been a pretty big deal. Dionysus was never known as one to hand out quests without good reason or well, even have the interest in giving them out to begin with.

"Alright then. You've got my attention." Clarisse ultimately accepted Chiron's request. She then followed Chiron to the Big House with Maimer in toe. Upon walking up the Big House's steps, Chiron approached a wheelchair that was set alongside its doorway. The centaur ran into this wheelchair, magically transfiguring his horse body into that of human legs. He then slowly opened the door, and entered it.

"Could you at least say where this scouting mission will take place?" Clarisse questioned. She quietly marched up the Big House's stairs, using Maimer as a makeshift walking stick.

From inside of the administrative building, Chiron addressed Clarisse with a serious, momentarily disparaging gaze. He closed his eyes for a moment before motioning for Clarisse to walk onward.

"Tell me, Clarisse. How much do you know about the Labyrinth?" Chiron curiously asked in a grave whisper. Clarisse, both eyes widening slightly in recognition, walked into the Big House's main room and shut its door behind her. If this mission somehow involved Daedalus' Labyrinth, there was definitely trouble brewing.

* * *

_Empire State Building Lobby_

Being late at night, the Empire State Building's lobby was practically empty. Each of the businessmen and women that worked there all went home a few hours prior, so its elevators were now completely vacant. The only occupants left in this skyscraper were security guards scattered throughout each story and Phyllis, the desk lady Goku encountered hours earlier. She typically didn't take the night shift, but due to Mount Olympus being in a substantial crisis, desperate measures needed to be taken. In fact, Phyllis herself was personally tasked with being on the lookout for Artemis and this Son Goku character. Unfortunately, both of them never bothered to show up. She didn't know whether to feel impatient or slightly relieved. From the first moment she witnessed Goku coming out of Olympus' elevator, she knew there was something…unusual about him. There was, of course, the gravity-defying porcupine hair, but his martial arts uniform and general demeanor were a bit more puzzling. Despite his innocent expressions and nature, he was far from being characterized as such. He unquestionably had the eyes of a fierce warrior willing and able to fight. It was her main reason for reporting him to Lord Zeus, after all. Even so, the portly nymph wished that something interesting could happen. Sitting at a desk all day long wouldn't really be considered her or anyone's idea of fun. Yawning, Phyllis rested her elbow on the desk in complete boredom.

"Just great. The trial of the century is about to start, yet here I am doing pointless deskwork!" Phyllis sighed heavily. She slumped down into her seat and checked the time.

"Like come on. It's 11:30 right now. It's not like something's gonna pop out of—" Out of nowhere, Goku teleported into the front lobby with Artemis, Hestia, and Aphrodite surrounding him. This caused Phyllis to girlishly shriek in absolute surprise.

"SWEET MOTHER GAEA!" Phyllis horrifyingly screamed. She flinched, causing her to painfully fall out of her seat. This scattered paperwork and miscellaneous items all over the place, much to Goku's immense confusion.

"Owwwww." Phyllis groaned. She struggled to stand up straight, sporting a look of irritation. "Stupid human disguise…"

After regaining her lost composure, Phyllis was met with the concerned stares of Artemis, Hestia, and Aphrodite. She practically grew speechless, shocked to see so many Olympian goddesses at the same time. Mouth agape, the female lobbyist sporadically pointed from Artemis to Hestia and Aphrodite in quick succession.

"W-What the… L-Lady Artemis? Lady Aphrodite? Lady Hestia?" Phyllis recognized in shock. She was then further startled by the presence of Goku. Said Saiyan nonchalantly waved at her as a sign of greeting.

"You?!" gasped Phyllis.

"It's Goku by the way." Goku attempted to remind the nymph. Phyllis took a deep breath, suddenly replacing her previous nervousness with neutral indifference.

"I'm fully aware of who you are, Mr. Son. Lord Zeus has been waiting quite a while for your arrival." Phyllis huffed, crossing her arms in disingenuous contempt. Goku waved both hands in front of him as a way to show that he understood.

"I know, I know. Let's just say we experienced some…erm…" Goku stammered, unsure of how to describe everything that happened in between his first arrival and now. From eating lunch with Aphrodite to "killing" a god of war, this was truly an eventful day to spend in this new universe.

"Technical difficulties. Very big, time intensive difficulties." Aphrodite finished off Goku's sentence with a nervous grin.

"I see. That still won't be a good excuse, though." Phyllis exclaimed whilst clasping her hands together.

"We are well aware of that. Now, may you grant us access to Mount Olympus?" Artemis politely requested use of the elevator. Beaming, Phyllis happily complied with the moon goddess's order.

"Of course, Lady Artemis. Here's the key card." Phyllis said, handing a golden-black card to Artemis. The Greek letter Ω was imprinted directly in its center.

"Thank you." Artemis expressed her thanks. She then lightly bowed in appreciation before walking past the elevator's security gates.

"Thanks for the help, Phyllis." Goku happily waved at Phyllis. She grew puzzled once more, wondering why this alien was acting so calm and well, friendly.

"Sure thing?" Phyllis replied in bewilderment. Her eyes followed Goku's blissfully unaware path as he parted for the elevator. She then shook her head and began picking up papers.

"I think you can get off of me, Hestia." Goku told Hestia. He gradually slowed down his pace to gaze at the hearth goddess's orange eyes.

"I was kind of planning to stay like this until we got to Olympus, but if you say so." Hestia shrugged in slight disappointment. She then lightly hopped off of Goku's back and began walking herself.

"Yeah, sorry. You were just getting a bit heavy." Goku sheepishly apologized. While this might have offended her in any other situation, Hestia found Goku's way of saying it pretty comedic.

"That's not something you should say to a woman, Goku. Hehe." Hestia playfully scolded. Her child-like giggle of amusement was practically contagious for the Saiyan.

"Oh right. Whoops. I made that same mistake when Chi-Chi was pregnant with Gohan." Goku fondly recalled in embarrassment. He massaged his neck, almost feeling the impact of Chi-Chi's trusty frying pan from entire universes away.

"She didn't take it very well." Goku chuckled in melancholic remembrance. Chi-Chi's fiery temper was quite dangerous at times, but he still loved that aspect of her personality, regardless. It was honestly kind of Saiyan-like in a weird way.

Aphrodite felt disheartened by this casual mention of Chi-Chi. She understood it would take far more than just one day for Goku to move on from his wife, but that didn't make it any less frustrating of an experience. Her intense adoration for Goku was simply too overwhelming. The love goddess bit down on her lower lip, trying to figure out some form of strategy for winning Goku's heart. Although it may take months or potentially even years, having Goku's love and respect all to herself would be well-worth the hassle. That is, if Artemis and Hestia didn't keep butting in!

"_With Chi-Chi still on his mind, I'll need to step my game up. But, keeping it more subtle than outright flirtatious is key for someone like Goku. He may be grieving inside, but a little push in the right direction wouldn't hurt him at all. Hopefully." _Aphrodite thought over a method of gaining Goku's attention. If possible, a genuine friendship with the Saiyan would need to be established beforehand. Then, in a best case scenario, feelings would naturally progress from that point onward.

"You don't mess with a woman when she's pregnant, Goku. I know that well enough from helping my younger sister, Hera, give birth." Hestia shivered in vivid recollection. She had quite a few horror stories to tell about Hera's pregnancy with Ares.

Goku's face grew somewhat quizzical at the mention of Hera. "Oh yeah. She's the Queen of Olympus, right? Wonder what she'll think about me being around."

All three goddesses suddenly avoided eye contact with Goku. This produced an uncomfortable silence that Goku did not see coming.

"What? Was there something I said?" Goku puzzlingly asked, turning his head from Aphrodite to Hestia. While walking down the hallway, Artemis side-glanced at Goku with a stern expression.

"Sorry to discourage you or anything, Goku, but Hera will probably hate you the most." Artemis coolly forewarned. Hestia and Aphrodite nodded their heads together in unanimous agreement.

"Most likely, yes. She doesn't take kindly to outsiders." Hestia added in minor sympathy. Goku lightly gulped, not expecting Hera's hatred of him to be this extreme. He wondered if her temper could be just as bad as Chi-Chi's was, if not worse. Maybe Ares inherited such a fearsome trait from Hera due to being his mother and all.

"Oh…well, I'm sure it won't be too bad, right?" Goku asked with an optimistic grin. This was followed by an ever greater stint of awkward, foreboding silence.

"Guys?" Goku attempted to garner each of the goddess's attentions once more. Aphrodite comfortingly rested a hand on Goku's shoulder.

"You'll see for yourself eventually, Goku. It's just a matter of time." Aphrodite almost regretted to inform. She didn't want to be chewed up and spit out by Hera either.

All four individuals then continued walking toward the Empire State Building's main elevator. Standing beside it was the same security guard Aphrodite "persuaded" into helping her bring Goku to this universe. The guard nervously adjusted his spectacles, observing the premises in frantic anxiety. It appeared that the guilt of being involved in such a serious crime was beginning to consume his psyche. The recent announcement of a trial on Olympus didn't do much to help his erratic mental state. Groaning over his unfortunate luck, the inexplicable sight of Aphrodite, Artemis, Hestia, and a spiky haired buff dude made it even worse. He broke into a nervous sweat, startled by the fact that all of them were coming this way and fast.

"_Don't look at her. Don't look at her. Don't look at her." _The security guard thought. He stood in a posturized military position and darted his eyes away from Aphrodite.

"Bring us to the 600th floor, please." Artemis commanded. She held out the key card, waiting for him to grab it.

"Y-Yes. Right away, milady!" The young security guard stuttered. He shakily took the key card and inserted it into a slot built into the wall. With a click, the elevator doors leading to Mount Olympus opened. Like before, it seemed to glow with an otherworldly sheen of gold.

"I have a feeling this is going to be a tight squeeze." Aphrodite sourly stated. She observed the elevator's interior design, confirming that four people could not really fit in there all at once.

"Not that I have a problem with that." Aphrodite suggestively added. Taking notice of the security guard's discomfort, she mischievously winked at him. This wink caused the guard to squirm in even further discomfort.

"_Gods, they don't pay me enough for this job." _The guard sighed whilst shaking his head. "_Actually, now that I think about it, do I even get paid at all?" _

As Artemis motioned for Goku and her fellow goddesses to follow, the security thought over his average salary or lack thereof. Deciding not to dwell on it, the security ultimately shrugged and got back to work.

"_Eh whatever. At least Lord Zeus didn't find out I was involved in that Goku guy's arrival." _The security said in relief. His eyes then widened at sound of the thunder roaring from outside. The Empire State Building's lights ever-so-slightly flickered in response to said storm.

"_O-Or did he?" _The security meekly gulped. Maybe his chances of being fried by Zeus' Master Bolt weren't so farfetched after all. The guard then stood straight, praying that he wouldn't have to find out for himself.

"That doesn't matter right now. We're in a hurry." Artemis snarled at Aphrodite's joke. Once her, Hestia, Aphrodite, and Goku entered, the elevator tightly shut behind them. The inside was a lot more compact than Goku remembered it being. Just standing in the middle was enough for Artemis, Hestia, and Aphrodite to accidentally squeeze against him.

"Well, you're right about this being tight, Aphrodite. You guys are all smooshing me." Goku said. Hestia climbed on top of Goku once more while Aphrodite and Artemis leaned into each of his shoulders. While Artemis found this mildly annoying, Aphrodite felt the exact opposite.

"Told ya, sweetie. Don't worry, though. I promise to be gentle." Aphrodite seductively whispered. She then snuggled into Goku's side, much to the visible disgust of Artemis. Scoffing to herself, she pressed the command module's 600th button and stood back.

"Brace yourself." Artemis simply warned. The elevator then uncontrollably shook from side to side, shining with a golden aura. After a few moments of rabid vibration, the elevator shot up to the Empire State Building's peak. The number of floors went from 1 to around 500 in mere seconds time. As 600 was finally reached, the elevator suddenly dematerialized in a flash of divine light. Reality distorted around Goku and the three goddesses while teleporting, making the laws of time and space difficult to comprehend. Their limbs seemed to squash and stretch in various, near-impossible positions, causing Goku's eyes to spin around from dizziness. Thankfully, due to his mastery of Instant Transmission, this similar variant of teleportation wasn't too difficult to adjust to. Then again, he already experienced part of it when first arriving here.

Finally, in a sonic boom of erupting photons, the elevator's ascent came to a sudden halt. Any sort of shaking and unrest it experienced was now done with. While the trip felt much longer to Goku timewise, it only took about 1 second flat in actuality. That's how insanely fast Mount Olympus' elevator truly was. However, it still paled in comparison to the full capabilities of Goku's Instant Transmission. That didn't make it any less of a mental strain for Goku to experience, though.

"Man. Even after a second time, it still makes my head spin." Goku commented dizzily. The elevator doors opened up, unveiling a staircase made out of white clouds. He tentatively placed a foot on the cloud, surprised to see that it could maintain his bodyweight. It somewhat reminded him of the Flying Nimbus, but much more widespread.

"We've all been there, Goku. In fact, Aphrodite got motion sickness the first we started using this elevator. And by motion sickness, I mean the very bad kind." Hestia informed with a rub of her stomach. Aphrodite placed both hands on her hips in embarrassment.

"TMI, Hestia! TMI!" Aphrodite growled. Hestia placed a hand over her mouth in amusement. The love goddess was just far too easy sometimes.

"Sorry. Couldn't resist." Hestia chuckled. Artemis, being to the first to exit the elevator, gazed at Olympus' peak in concern.

"Anyway, let's officially get down to business…" Artemis grunted. Looking at Goku, she gestured to the entire mountain with her hands.

"Welcome to Mount Olympus, Goku." Artemis formally introduced her and the entire Greek pantheon's central domain. Goku marveled at the sheer scope of such a structure, looking at each temple and inhabitant with child-like wonder. His attention was particularly drawn to the mountain's tip, noticing that 9 energy signatures were gathered in one location. This must be the place where his trial was going to be held.

"Wow. It's a lot bigger than Aphrodite's memories made it out to be." Goku observed in awe. Expecting this response, Artemis shut both eyes and flipped her pony tail backward.

"To be fair, everything is a lot smaller from the perspective of Aphrodite's mind." Artemis said.

"Joking about me being dumb? Gee. How original." Aphrodite sarcastically deadpanned.

"I'm just telling how it is. Your shallow, self-centered view of the world and universe is what brought upon this mess." Artemis hatefully slammed Aphrodite's intent once more. Aphrodite, on the other hand, didn't really care what she had to say at this point.

"Says the man-hating feminist." Aphrodite smugly retorted. "But, you've got a good point. _Everything_ is a lot smaller compared to myself."

She proudly puffed out her chest, emphasizing the sheer size of both breasts. Adding further insult to injury, Aphrodite then gestured to Artemis' comparatively smaller ones. This action caused Artemis to cover herself in pure rage. For a split second, her cheeks also had a faint shade of red to them.

"Grrgh! You putrid harlot!" Artemis fumed, both eyes glowing a moonlit silver. Her teeth bared in a state reminiscent of carnivorous fangs.

"Sexist prude!" Aphrodite snapped back. The two goddesses got into each other's faces, almost suppressing the urge to fight mono e mono.

"Girls. Hello? We've got a trial to attend, remember?" Hestia calmly reminded the two goddesses. Artemis turned away from the love goddess with a vindictive, yet neutrally serious frown.

"Right. Pardon that _minor_ setback, Hestia." muttered Artemis. She darted her eyes toward Aphrodite at the mention of "minor" in said statement.

"Hmph." Aphrodite hummed indignantly. Afterwards, she crossed her arms and stood beside Goku.

"As I was saying, just follow up these stairs, Goku. They lead directly to the Hall of the Gods." Artemis instructed Goku, pointing to the very top of Olympus. "I'll personally escort you there."

"Alright then. Sounds good to me." Goku agreeably complied. The group of four then walked one step after the other, making a slow, evenly paced trek throughout Mount Olympus. In the process of walking, Artemis looked back at Goku with a sense of guilt.

"_Well, this is as good a time as any. Not sure how to exactly word this, but I'll try my best." _Artemis tensely pondered. Apologizing to someone, especially a man like Goku, was quite a difficult task for her to accomplish. _"My honor as a huntress and warrior hinges on it." _

She analyzed Goku's face, wondering how such a troubled mortal could still look so happy and enthusiastic on the outside. He's been through so much, yet still managed to strive forward regardless. Despite the strict oath her and the Hunters had to follow, Artemis still couldn't suppress the slight admiration she felt for Goku's bravery in this moment. This only made the so-called "apology" to Goku even more difficult to pull off!

"_Tsk. Even so, this will definitely go against my views of men. But, I suppose there are always exceptions to the rule… like he used to be." _Artemis morosely sighed. Remembering the only man she grew to respect was quite painful for Artemis, even thousands of years after his demise. The fact Goku and him held some similarities with one another didn't do much better.

"_Here goes." _Artemis took a deep breath, gaining the courage to speak with Goku man-to-goddess.

"Goku…I…" stammered Artemis. Mentally cursing herself, Artemis was then met with the curious eyes of Goku.

"Yeah?" Goku asked.

"I just wanted to…erm…apologize for what I've put you through in the past few hours. After getting to know you a bit better, I realize that what my Hunters and I have done was wrong. A kind-hearted man…no, _person _like yourself didn't deserve that kind of treatment." Artemis showed regret for her past actions. For a few seconds, a glint of remorse seemed to appear in her eyes.

Goku, Hestia, and especially Aphrodite were taken aback by this statement. Artemis wasn't usually one to fall back on her decisions so easily. Due to how genuinely sorry Artemis appeared to be, Goku gave her a carefree smile.

"Don't sweat it, Artemis. You were just doing what was best for your home. If someone weird showed up on my planet all of a sudden, I probably would have done the same thing." Goku admitted with a small chuckle. Artemis' silver eyes widened in response.

"Y-You're not upset by it?" Artemis stammered.

"Of course not. Remember, I agreed to attend this trial. Getting to know more about you gods and them me is the most reasonable option. After what happened with Ares, fighting back is the last thing I want to resort to right now." Goku explained, seeking to form a compromise with the Olympians. He then clenched one of his fist in battle-ready anticipation.

"Cause if I did, the opportunity for you guys to get stronger couldn't happen. I want to see you girls and even Ares improve to a point where you can all fight well! It'll be loads of fun, no doubt! Hehe." Goku happily expressed his interest in fighting the other gods and goddesses someday. While such a claim was quite absurd to the say least, Artemis couldn't hold back a smile of amusement.

"Heh. You really are a strange one, Goku…" Artemis muttered aloud. She lightly giggled, much to Goku's confusion.

"Strange? What do you mean?" Goku asked. Artemis, reverting back to her stern self, just shook her head dismissively.

"It's nothing. Let's just keep walking." Artemis scoffed. After a few seconds, the four continued making good distance up to Mount Olympus' peak.

"_You are indeed strange, Goku, but that's what makes you so fascinating compared to other men I've met in the past." _Artemis thought in minor admiration. Based on his demonstration of the Kaioken, training with Goku was definitely something she would need to partake in soon.

"_Maybe this trial won't go as badly as I've predicted. Although, only Goku himself can be the judge of that." _Artemis pondered from a more optimistic viewpoint. As she carried herself up the stairs, the Hall of the Gods' likeness became more visible.

"Would you want me to get stronger too, Goku?" Aphrodite shyly questioned.

"Sure, Aphrodite. From seeing your memories, I can already tell you have loads of untapped potential. You were able to hold off Ares pretty well, after all." Goku complimented with a light pat of Aphrodite's back. Her cheeks immediately reddened in response to the slightest touch of Goku's hand.

"T-Thank you, sweetie! Hmmm I'll definitely keep that in mind…" Aphrodite wondered whilst stroking her chin. In her eyes, getting closer to Goku through sparring didn't seem like such a bad idea.

"_Aside from food, strength training might be the true key to his heart." _Aphrodite mentally assessed. She grabbed onto her hips, thoroughly examining each portion of the body,

"_I have been meaning to get more in shape anyway." _Aphrodite mentally recalled. _"After this dumb trial is over, I'll see what I can do." _

After widely smiling at Goku, the Saiyan brought up a question he was meaning to ask Aphrodite since they first met.

"Why do you keep calling me sweetie and those other names all the time?" Goku asked in slight befuddlement.

"No reason. It's just how I show affection to people." Aphrodite whispered. "Do you not like it?"

She frowned, feeling somewhat saddened by Goku's questioning of her little pet names. Such a downcast reaction from the love goddess caused Goku to immediately backpedal on what he said.

"Nah. I'm alright with it. It's sort of…weird for me." Goku muttered in puzzlement. "Not because of you or anything. It's just that the last person who called me stuff like that was…you know…"

Aphrodite, Hestia, and Artemis were all smart enough to know who he was referring to. This caused Aphrodite to suddenly feel self-conscious and apologetic for her prior actions. Her eyes grew half-lidded as she looked down at the ground.

"Oh. I understand." Aphrodite lowly whispered. She then cupped her hands together and kept walking at a slower, more even pace.

"I'm certain Chi-Chi is in a better place, Goku. After the time you've spent together, she deserves to." Hestia comforted Goku with a light tug of his pant leg.

"Yeah. I hope so." Goku uttered hopefully. In spite of her short temper, Goku knew for certain that Chi-Chi ascended to his universe's equivalent of Heaven by now. Hopefully he'd be able to see her again someday.

After walking a few more feet, Artemis placed a hand in front of the other three. They were now standing before the Hall of the Gods itself. It was a massive palace akin to the Parthenon in Athens, Greece, but nearly thousands of times larger. Goku and the rest were merely specks in comparison. Extremely realistic statues of each Olympian, including Hestia, were also placed along the staircase leading into said temple. These marble sculptures were accurately proportioned and sized as well.

Directly above the temple, a massive storm cloud in the shape of Zeus' face presided. It fiercely glared, sporting vacant eyes that glowed electric blue with each consecutive strike of lightning. Noting its near-identical facial features to Zeus, Artemis observed this construct of her father in progressive chagrin. How would she even begin to excuse her poor timing?

"Well, we've arrived. It's now or never." Artemis briskly announced. Without another word, she motioned for Goku to follow her inside.

"Don't worry, Goku. I'll try to help as much as I can." Aphrodite promised while brushing a hand down Goku's shoulder.

"That is, if my father even allows you to participate." Artemis said.

"Psh. Even Zeus won't stop me from defending Goku's honor." Aphrodite proudly remarked. She placed both fists on her hips in a pose reminiscent of Wonder Woman or any other female heroine.

"Thanks for the support, you guys. I appreciate it." Goku thanked each goddess for their assistance. While Aphrodite and Hestia smiled back, Artemis sighed in dismay. She really didn't want Goku to go through all of this drama. Even she couldn't handle some of their petty arguments at times.

"I would say that after this trial is officially over with, Goku." Artemis quietly suggested. The four then collectively approached the temple, awaiting the very trial that would decide Goku's fate in this universe. If they were lucky, Goku would somehow manage to win Zeus' favor. Such a prospect was quite hard to swallow, however.

* * *

_Within the Hall of the Gods…_

Zeus tirelessly drummed his fingers on his throne's armrest, still waiting for Artemis to bring Son Goku before him. Hera, on the other hand, ground all ten fingernails unto her throne's surface in pure rage. On top of humiliating her favorite son in combat, Goku making her and the other Olympians wait was simply inexcusable. The urge to toss Goku into Tartarus' pit had never been stronger during that same moment. As her nails left deep indents in each armrest, Hera scowled angrily.

"This is a waste of time, dear. We all should have just attacked him at the same time and be done with the accursed mortal!" Hera grumbled in frustration. Zeus slumped down in his seat, resting his fingers together in a thoughtful gesture.

"That may sound good on paper, but remember who we are dealing with here. From we've gathered, he has about three other forms at his disposal. Each of which are far stronger than the last." Zeus informed. The fact Goku could exponentially raise his power at will only made the Saiyan even more threatening to Olympus' safety. In a way, it was like Goku had three Divine Forms at his beck and call.

"As much as it infuriates me to no end, ganging up on Goku will only spell disaster for us and Olympus itself. If Ares was vanquished from only a fraction of his power, what do you think could happen to the rest of us?" Zeus reluctantly affirmed. He glared at Hera with newly glowing blue eyes and a serious expression.

"I suppose that's reasonable judgment. Even so, I still want to see the brainless ape punished for all that he's done." Hera snapped furiously. Poseidon quirked a brow in surprise, not seeing Hera quite so angry in a few hundred or so years.

"Patience is a virtue, Hera. Artemis has never failed in her duties before. This occurrence should be no different." Poseidon trusted in his niece's abilities. Hera just sniffed doubtfully.

"Right. Leave the words of wisdom to Athena, brother." Hera grumbled, resting a fist against her cheek in impatience.

"Sheesh. No need to be so cold about it." Poseidon muttered whilst rubbing the back of his neck. Comparing him to his greatest rival didn't make Hera's insult any less hurtful.

Due to having heightened senses, Athena herself noticed that four figures were preparing to enter the temple all at once. She squinted her gray eyes and addressed the other Olympians that were currently present.

"He's here." Athena blankly uttered. This caused the remaining gods and goddesses to sigh in relief. Hell would eventually break loose if they had to wait another minute or longer.

"Hmph. About time that infernal alien showed himself." Hera huffed tirelessly.

"I wonder what Goku could be like in person…" Athena pondered with intrigue. Based on what was shown in the Iris Message, Goku had two sides to his personality: the thick-headed, goofy side and the confident, combat-oriented side. The latter is what definitely drew her attention to Goku, by far. On the battlefield, Goku appeared to be an absolute mastermind of the highest caliber.

"Woaahh! This place is _huge_!" Goku shouted in childlike awe. The sound of Goku's voice managed to startle a sleeping Apollo. His head spun around in various directions, trying to remember exactly where he was and what was happening.

"Gah! I'm up, I'm up! What's going on?" Apollo asked in shock. While the Olympians stood speechless at Goku's outburst, Artemis bared her teeth in embarrassment.

"Shut up, you idiot!" Artemis fumed, bonking Goku on the head as hard as possible. Goku just grabbed ahold of his hair in reactionary pain.

"Owww! That hurt, Artemis!" Goku whined.

"Good. Maybe you'll heed my previous warnings now." Artemis coolly stated with a cross of her arms. She then turned around to loyally bow before Zeus' throne.

"Hello again, father. I apologize for the delay. There was a slight change of plans back at Camp Half-Blood." Artemis explained the reasons behind her late arrival. Zeus stroked his beard in contemplation.

"Understandable, Artemis. You did a fine job as usual." Zeus said. He then gestured to the throne next to Apollo's with a wave of his hand.

"Now, go sit on your throne. We'll need everyone gathered for this trial to start." Zeus calmly ordered. Artemis stood up and nodded.

"As you wish." Artemis replied. Before everyone's eyes, she changed her size and attire. She now wore a long gray dress that covered her legs and entire lower body. Her hair was also fully let down, revealing auburn locks that extended beneath the shoulder area. A royal tiara made of silver was placed atop the moon goddess' head as well. Currently towering Goku in size, the now giant Artemis marched toward her respective throne with bow and arrows in toe.

"_Tsk. Like she even needed to change her outfit." _Aphrodite thought bitterly. In contrast, Goku was amazed by Artemis' new appearance. It was completely different from the ski jacket she usually wore.

"Woah. I didn't know you could wear a dress, Artemis." Goku gaped in surprise. Artemis stared at Goku with disinterest, setting aside her weapons while doing so. Her bow and quiver leaned against either side of the divine seat once put down.

"This is just how I appear as the goddess of the moon, Goku. Don't be foolish." Artemis grunted. She gracefully sat down, resting both arms on the throne's armrests. Additionally, the entire chair glowed a brighter silver in response to its owner's presence.

"Hey there, sis. Did the girls miss me at all?" Apollo greeted with a wiggle of his eyebrows. Artemis took a deep breath, not having the endurance necessary to tolerate her twin brother's attitude.

"Now's not the time, Apollo." Artemis irritably murmured. Apollo sniggered at his sister's abrasiveness, placing both hands up in mock surrender.

"Just trying to make conversation. Gotta _warm_ us up for the serious talk we're about to do, you know?" Apollo asked. Artemis deadpanned at Apollo's "joke" with an unamused frown.

"Oh, you're trying to make puns now? How very versatile of you." Artemis sarcastically stated. Shrugging, Apollo kicked back in his seat with a cocky smirk.

"Eh. I try." Apollo stated, purposely deciding not to pick up on Artemis' sarcasm. Artemis simply rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"Idiotic as ever." Artemis murmured observantly. With Artemis seated, Aphrodite's time to be called out by Zeus came up. The sky god pointed directly at Aphrodite with a dead serious grimace.

"The same applies for you too, Aphrodite. I don't know how you managed to escape Ares' captivity, but as an Olympian goddess, you'll still need to be involved in the final sentencing of this trial. Is that clear?" Zeus questioningly demanded. Not taking any more of Zeus' crap, Aphrodite puffed up her cheeks and went along with his "order" for the sake of helping Goku out.

"Yeah, yeah. I get the picture." Aphrodite brushed off Zeus' attempt at intimidating her. Lovingly batting her eyelashes, she kissed Goku's cheek for luck. This time, however, she wouldn't give Goku the proper opportunity to wipe it off so easily.

"Best of luck, Goku." Aphrodite stated in pure devotion. Mirroring the transformation Artemis experienced, Aphrodite's hair became a long, smoother blonde when gigantic. The blue-black dress she once wore became a silky, somewhat revealing white dress as well. Her wrists were also adorned with golden bracelets that shined with magenta energy. Strangely enough, her eyes stayed the same emerald green as they were before. As she suggestively sashayed toward her designated throne, more of her legs were left uncovered by the see-through dress. Whether or not this was done to intentionally gather Goku's attention couldn't be said for certain.

"Oho kissing another man in front of me this time, Aphrodite? You wound me so." Hephaestus heftily chuckled. Aphrodite pursed her red lips, feeling dismay at the first sight of her sorry excuse for a husband.

"What else is there to wound, oaf?" Aphrodite spat in revulsion. Hephaestus held a hand over his heart in exaggerated offense.

"Damn,_ honey_. That's just uncalled for." Hephaestus snorted, smacking a hand against his knee. Goku just looked from Hephaestus to Aphrodite in growing confusion.

"Just like our so-called marriage." Aphrodite sourly groaned. Having Goku find out about this predicament would definitely be uncomfortable for her.

"Wait. If you two are married, why did I see Aphrodite spending more time with Ares and a ton of other guys in her memories?" Goku asked in puzzlement. Hearing this question, Hephaestus and the other gods awkwardly stared at the Saiyan. Was he being serious?

"Goku…um…about that…" Aphrodite stammered, twiddling her thumbs out of embarrassment. Before she could finish, Apollo burst into uncontrollable laughter. He knew Goku wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, but this fact straight up baffled him.

"Bahahaha! Man, the poor guy doesn't even have a clue." Apollo hoarsely chuckled. "And you think he can be an enemy to us?"

While Artemis facepalmed at her brother's laughing fit, Aphrodite felt progressively more embarrassed with herself. The love goddess began to fear that Goku would lose all interest in her after hearing about the previous love affairs she participated in. Since Goku only loved one woman his entire life, would he feel personally disgusted by her? Such a possibility depressed her to no end. Loving Goku was the best thing that could have happened to her, and thus, she would not let this once-in-a-lifetime chance to be with him slip away.

"Am I missing something here?" Goku questioned, growing even more puzzled by the Olympians' reactions. Hera hatefully glared down at Goku as if he were a bug just asking to be squashed.

"What you're "missing", Son Goku, is the fact that Aphrodite is a manipulative, sex-crazed whore. The sanctity of marriage and long-term relationships in general are completely foreign to her. All she cares about is fulfilling her sick desires with any man she can come across, whether that be god, mortal, or in your case, alien." Hera brutally insulted Aphrodite's personality. Not wanting Goku to hear this, Aphrodite growled at Zeus' wife in anger.

"Ugh! What did you just call me—"

"Silence, wench. Let me finish!" Hera hissed at the love goddess, raising a hand to emphasize her authority. Wishing to not instigate Hera's foul temper even further, Aphrodite pouted in reluctant compliance.

"You shouldn't call Aphrodite something like that. It's not right." Goku firmly defended the love goddess. In spite of her vindictive gaze, Goku continued to stare down Hera with no fear whatsoever.

"Gotta admit, sis. Goku has a lot of balls for standing up to Hera like that." Apollo nudged Artemis' shoulder. Ignoring Apollo's crude term of phrase, Artemis clasped both hands together and set them in front of her mouth.

"I suppose he is quite courageous." Artemis muttered in agreement. Despite fighting against her, the hydra, and Ares, Goku showed little of sign of hesitance or fear in battle. In fact, his attitude was quite the opposite.

Hera's eye ever-so-slightly began to twitch. The fact Goku so carelessly talked back to her, the Queen of Olympus, was absolutely unacceptable behavior. She then coolly scowled at the Saiyan in disgust, anxiously waiting for a point where she could make him suffer.

"Hmph. There's nothing I else can call her." Hera seethed temperately. "Aphrodite has been doing this type of thing for thousands of years at this point. Why do you think Aphrodite has so many demigod children? Or even wished to here you here in the first place?"

Goku took a slight step back, finally connecting the dots about his arrival here. While he understood that Aphrodite was touchy-feely and overly affectionate when around him, Goku was far too bothered with Chi-Chi's recent death to really pick up on or even reciprocate the love goddess' true feelings. The emergence of Mount Olympus' elevator in Other World suddenly made a whole lot more sense.

"She…brought me here to fulfill her own needs?" Goku asked, realizing that Aphrodite was interested in far more than just friendship or getting to know him. But, to be fair, he supposed that unsettling image of them in bed together doing…erm…_things _should have been abundantly clear.

"Yes. You, being the naïve fool you are, didn't realize Aphrodite's true intentions. Like my son, Ares, beforehand, she used you as a mere toy to satiate her erotic fantasies. That's why Ares ended up being led astray and was…" Hera explained the sheer doom Aphrodite inadvertently brought upon Ares. The god of war was wrapped around Aphrodite's little finger for thousands of years now, so immediately moving to someone from another universe entirely was just absurd. Since Ares and Aphrodite had multiple children together, Goku couldn't really complete aside from power and general kindness. It only made Hera more infuriated by Ares' crushing defeat.

"…k-killed by me in a fight. Oh." Goku finished in a low whisper. Despite being a violent, sadistic jerk, Goku still felt a bit more guilty for what happened to him after their fight.

"Precisely. And like any toy, once she grows bored of you, you'll be cast away like yesterday's trash. She may appear to seek genuine friendship with you, but that's far from the case." Hera scathingly proclaimed. Aphrodite, having enough of Hera making constant assumptions about her love for Goku, slammed a fist down on her armrest. Her instinctively radiated with divine power, producing a shockwave that dented small portions of the throne.

"That's not true, Hera! My feelings for Goku are so much more than that!" Aphrodite shouted defiantly.

"Like I've said before, that is utter nonsense. Were your feelings genuine for Ares? Or Adonis? Or any of the other mortal men you slept with?!" Hera yelled whilst steadily raising her voice. Aphrodite grew somewhat hesitant at the mention of her past lovers. There was no denying that she held some form of love for them at some point, but right now, Goku was the person she truly desired above all else. Her heart simply yearned for his attention more than anything else, even Ares'. Unfortunately, with Goku knowing more about her prior tendency of sleeping around, she feared that the Saiyan would lose all interest in her beyond friendship. Concerning someone as strong and kind-hearted as Goku, simple friendship was not going to cut it for her.

"I…" Aphrodite stammered, attempting to put her love for Goku into words. Before she could attempt to embarrass herself, Artemis suddenly stood up from her throne.

"That's enough, Hera. You're openly distorting the truth." Artemis interrupted Hera's baseless critique.

"Artemis…?" Aphrodite uttered in shock. Given their history, Artemis was the last person she expected to defend her.

"While Aphrodite may have indeed brought Goku here for her own selfish endeavors, Ares was just as much, if not more so, at fault. He challenged Goku to a fight, endangered the lives of Camp Half-Blood's inhabitants, and most importantly, attempted to kill Goku without even putting him on trial. So, in the end, Goku only fought Ares in self-defense. His death was only a by-product of that factor." Artemis reminded Hera of Ares' partial guilt. It wasn't logical to blame a single person on what took place. Zeus, Aphrodite, Ares, and even herself were all responsible for escalating the situation with Goku's arrival to intense extremes. If she and the Hunters reasoned with Goku instead of foolishly attacking him, this very trial could have happened hours ago and be far less dramatic.

"Distorting the truth? Ha! I'm only painting Aphrodite as the manipulative shrew she really is. Ares would have never fought Son Goku if his jealousy over Aphrodite didn't come into play first." Hera surmised, believing Ares would not fight without good reason. Obviously, she didn't know her son as well as she claimed.

"That's just baseless assumption. While defending Goku wasn't my intention at first, I know for certain that Ares would have tried to fight Goku, regardless. He is the most bloodthirsty of us, by far." Artemis said matter-of-factly. She glanced at Goku's form with an empathetic frown, viewing this defense as the least she could do for him.

Hermes sat up from his goatskin seat, nodding along with what Artemis had to say. He tilted his winged helmet to look upon Hera completely. Held in one of Hermes' hands was the caduceus, a wooden staff with wings sprouting at the top. Two snakes, one male and one female, also coiled around it in a double helix formation.

"She has a good point, Hera." Hermes said supportively. "Ares has always been a ticking time bomb. Goku, in comparison, only kills when necessary. We've seen that with his fights against Cell and Majin Buu."

Goku winced at the direct mention of his past enemies. While Cell was powerful to a point where he needed to sacrifice himself just to stop Earth from being blown up, Buu was definitely the most challenging opponent he ever fought. He casually slaughtered the entire human race twice over, once with the aptly named Human Extinction Attack and a second time using his Planet Burst technique. If Goku wasn't able to gather enough energy for the Super Spirit Bomb, the entire universe would have been doomed without question. It honestly made the Saiyan want to get even stronger, so he would actually stand a fighting chance against someone just as strong, if not stronger than Kid Buu himself. However, time spent in this universe would most likely make such a goal more complicated.

"Besides, we're all a bit guilty of sleeping around in that regard. Especially dad there." Hermes said, slyly jerking a thumb toward Zeus.

"I suppose there's no grounds to argue with that." Zeus hummed, not even bothering to excuse the hundreds upon thousands of women he's cheated on Hera with. Hera glared at her husband in rage, personally resenting any reference to Zeus' infidelity.

"Quiet, Hermes! Who's side are you on?" Hera accused. Hermes nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders in response.

"Hey, I'm just being honest here." Hermes explained, leaning unto the back of his throne. "Aphrodite may be a notorious sex maniac, but even gods like us can change. She seems to be a lot nicer around Goku anyway."

"Oh come on, bro. This is Aphrodite we're talking about. She's only kind to people she wants to sleep with." Apollo jokingly reminded the messenger god.

"This time it's different, Apollo! Goku is a special case." Aphrodite retorted in frustration.

"Right. I'm sure that's the _only_ reason you like him so much." Apollo snorted, rolling his eyes with a sarcastic air. Aphrodite piercingly glared at the sun god for insulting her.

Before more snide remarks could take place, Zeus repeatedly tapped his Master Bolt on the ground like a judge's gavel. Each tap was strong enough to produce a loud, electric sonic boom that reverberated off the Hall's surrounding architecture.

"Enough dawdling, everyone! We haven't even started the damn trial yet." Zeus growled irritably. He narrowed his eyes at each Olympian, causing them to all fall silent. In that moment, Goku felt surprised by the amount of authority Zeus seemed to exude.

Seeing that her fellow Greek gods were agitated in some way, Hestia walked over to a gigantic fireplace. Known as the Hearth of the Gods, this magical flame was an object she tended to during meetings like the one currently in progress. Located in the Hall of the God's center, it glowed a warm, powerful orange, signifying the Olympians' sense of unity and power when together.

She then engulfed her hands in fire and placed them near the Hearth. Resisting the heat with relative ease, Hestia gradually emitted a trail of smoke from within the fire's very core. This cloud of calming vapors encircled around each throne and Olympian respectively.

"Here." Hestia announced while manipulating the smoke's path. "This should help calm everyone down."

Much like the campfire at Camp Half-Blood, the gods embraced the aroma of Hestia's fire with positive euphoria. Any sort of irritation they might have felt was quickly replaced with calm serenity. Even Goku himself take a whiff of the smoke before it dissipated.

"_Kind of smells like Chi-Chi's cooking a bit. But, how is that possible?" _Goku recognized in confusion. While this familiar smell did put a smile on his face, it was also fairly bittersweet at the same time. Anything somehow related to Chi-Chi did, to be fair.

"That actually helps a lot, Hestia. Thank you." Demeter kindly expressed her gratitude. She took in the pleasant aroma, causing more flowers to grow around her throne.

"No thanks are necessary. That's what the Hearth is here for." Hestia acknowledged with a small shrug. Zeus, after getting over the odd, yet arousing smell he just inhaled, cleared his throat, and looked down at the small goddess.

"Now, since you've decided to show up this time, where is Dionysus?" Zeus asked about the wine god's whereabouts.

"Dionysus decided to stay back at Camp Half-Blood. He did, however, count his vote for both sides of the argument." Hestia informed. Zeus sniffed irritably, expecting Dionysus to neglect his duties as a god like this.

"Tsk. Typical of that lazy bum." Zeus grumbled to himself. Making a mental note to punish Dionysus later on, the sky god then relaxed in his seat with a small frown.

"Very well then. I suppose that's a good enough point to start from." Zeus stated. He tilted his head downward to look upon Goku's patiently waiting form.

"Now, allow me to introduce ourselves properly, Son Goku. As my daughter and Aphrodite have probably revealed to you, I am Zeus, king of the gods and Olympus itself." Zeus formally introduced himself. Goku lightly waved at the Olympian king as a sign of greeting.

"Yep. Kinda already figured that from your lightning bolt there." Goku replied, pointing to the Master Bolt that was held in Zeus' hand. Zeus stroked his beard, examining the electric weapon in thought.

"I see. How astute of you to notice, alien." Zeus laxly grunted. Goku wasn't used to being referred to as simply "alien".

"No problem…I think." Goku confusedly stroked the back of his head. Zeus breathed inwardly, staring at Goku's reaction with neutral indifference.

"Anyway, since you've already been "acquainted" with Artemis, Hestia, Aphrodite, Dionysus, and…my other son, the others will proceed to do the same." Zeus pronounced, thinking it best to start the trial with equal knowledge on both sides.

"Sounds alright to me." Goku said, shrugging his shoulders in agreement.

"Good. We'll go from throne to throne, starting with the one closest to mine." Zeus explained with a nod of his head. He then directed Goku's attention to his brother and fellow Big Three member, Poseidon.

"Greetings, Goku. I am known as Poseidon, god of the sea, earthquakes, storms, and horses." The sea god proclaimed. His cerulean eyes were far less steely and piercing than Zeus'.

"Woah. You control the entire ocean?! You must be pretty powerful then!" Goku whooped in awe. Not predicting Goku to compliment his power, Poseidon quirked a brow at said Saiyan's outburst.

"I guess I could be considered powerful from a certain point of view. But, in comparison to your feats, I'd be lying if I didn't admit to slightly faltering there." Poseidon humbly admitted. "The sea's influence, while vast and ever-expansive, isn't unlimited, after all."

Goku, while agreeing with the logic behind this statement, ultimately shook his head in a small thinking position.

"Eh. We all have our own strengths and weaknesses. I'm sure there's some stuff you can do in a fight that I couldn't even think of pulling off." Goku wisely expressed. He figured that Poseidon's elemental manipulation over water, if used correctly, could be capable of some terrifying results.

"Hm. Can't argue with you there." Poseidon affirmed. He then grew silent, giving Demeter the opportunity to talk next.

"Hello. My name is Demeter, goddess of the harvest, fertility, and agriculture." Demeter said with a slightly forced grin. Even hours later, the environmental damage he, his friends, and enemies caused was still on her mind.

"So, you're a farming goddess then?" Goku asked with interest.

"That's what agriculture means, yes." Demeter deadpanned without much amusement.

"_I knew this man was uneducated, but not by this much. What kind of person did that Grandpa Gohan character raise him to be?" _Demeter expressed in appalment, unable to see how Goku could be so uneducated for this long. She would have never let this slide with Persephone or any of her other children.

"Neat! I actually tried a bit farming back home." Goku happily recalled. Demeter, not seeing this particular event projected on Zeus' Iris Message, suddenly became intrigued.

"Really? What kind?" Demeter questioned, resting both hands along her green dress.

"Radish farming. After I defeated Kid Buu, my wife, Chi-Chi, decided to make some money by growing radishes in our front yard. Then these two alien guys came and it sort of went downhill after that." Goku sheepishly chuckled. "It was fun while it lasted, though. Hehe."

Demeter became visibly unnerved by this fact. Any damage to a person's crops was something she would not begin to stand for. Well, if it wasn't her who caused that level of destruction anyway.

"Messing with someone's farm work is no joke, Mr. Son. I hope those aliens were properly dealt with somehow." Demeter growled in resentment.

"Oh they were! Then Abo and Kado, those were their names I think, started liking the radishes too. It was kinda weird at first, but still funny all around." Goku fondly recalled that bizarre adventure. That was one of the last moments Goku spent with Chi-Chi before her death, so he would try to cherish it for as long as possible.

"I can see why. That seems to be a pattern back in your universe." Demeter astutely observed. For some reason, Goku seemed to experience one strange event after the other on a near-constant basis. Fighting an absurd being like Majin Buu was the cream of the crop in that regard.

"A pattern? How so?" Goku inquired absentmindedly. Demeter just waved Goku away with a passive flex of her hand.

"Never mind." Demeter muttered. Realizing that she wouldn't elaborate, Goku fixed his eyes on the throne positioned next to Demeter's. Seeing traces of human skulls and skin tissue, Goku immediately suspected who the owner of this throne was.

"Oh. That's Ares' throne, right?" Goku guessed. Hera glanced at both the throne and Goku in vitriolic spite.

"Yes. And it would have been occupied if it weren't for _you_." Hera seethed furiously. Goku just raised his hands up, not understanding where Hera's instant hatred came from. Maybe Artemis, Hestia, and Aphrodite did make a good point about her attitude.

"I was just asking a question. Why are you so angry with me?" Goku wondered in genuine confusion. This response made Hera's even more livid than before.

"Why?! Are you absolutely braindead?!" Hera shouted, shaking uncontrollably in her seat. She stood up from her seat as both eyes changed from chocolate brown to glowing purple.

"You've got a lot of nerve asking that, mortal! Maybe I should just make things simpler by turning you into the brainless ape you really are." Hera intimidatingly threatened. Goku just blinked a few times, already being used to this type of exaggerated anger from firsthand experience.

"Stop this at once, Hera. Let everyone finish first." Zeus sternly lectured. Hera, slightly buckling from Zeus' fierce demeanor, sat back down in absolute reluctance.

"Fine. Let the damned murderer get to know us some more." Hera begrudgingly grumbled under her breath. She pouted, crossing one arm over the other.

"Won't make his inevitable sentence any different…" The marriage goddess haughtily chuckled. She acted if Goku was a person that could be disposed of quite easily. At least, that's what she foolishly wished to be true.

"Inevitable?" Goku questioningly frowned. Smirking, Hera brushed her black locks back with an air of superiority.

"Hmph. You'll know soon enough." Hera cryptically forewarned. Goku was, unsurprisingly, off put by Hera's misplaced coldness. Even Aphrodite herself suppressed the urge to strangle Zeus' wife right then and there.

Goku then nervously turned his back around, preparing to talk with Athena next. Judging by her armor and helmet combat, Goku already knew Athena was a goddess that shouldn't be messed with. Her storm gray eyes were quite reminiscent of Artemis' from their intimidation factor alone.

"I'm pleased to finally make your acquaintance, Goku. My name is Athena, goddess of wisdom, battle strategy, defensive warfare, and skill. I also serve as the progenitor of what you mortals like to call arts and crafts." Athena said in a cool, yet collected voice. Her eyes attentively scanned Goku's body and facial features, making the Saiyan feel slightly uncomfortable.

"Um…the pleasure's all mine?" Goku responded with uncertainty.

"Why so hesitant? You have nothing to be afraid of here. Judging from your prior battles, you are definitely someone who excels at battle strategy and quick-witted resourcefulness. Unfortunately, that same level of genius doesn't apply for your own mind." Athena observantly assessed. Despite it stinging a bit, Goku knew full well that this remark couldn't be denied. He was far from being the sharpest tool in the shed, that's for sure.

"Knowledge isn't really my strong suit, no. That's where my first son, Gohan, usually comes in." Goku acknowledged that strong intelligence wasn't his strong suit. "I am said to be smart where it counts, though."

"Smart where it counts, hm? I'm assuming you mean your expert knowledge of martial arts?" Athena asked, interestedly resting a fist along her helmet.

"Pretty much. I may not be smart, but making split decisions in any fight is something I do quite a lot. That has to be somewhat of an even trade-off." Goku pointed out that he was more knowledgeable about fighting than any other subject.

"I agree. Your fighting style is quite interchangeable. From Earth to Namek, your skill did not waver in the slightest." Athena expressed her respect for Goku's sheer affinity as a martial artist. "That's requires the knowledge of a true warrior."

She then narrowed her eyes, icily glaring at Goku in sudden remembrance of his more noticeable faults. One such fault was his very presence here, even if it wasn't exactly done on purpose. Due to being at war with Kronos and the Titans, having Goku suddenly appear made circumstances even more stressful for her and every other Olympian in attendance. Getting rid of him, at first glance, just seemed to be the most logical option they had.

"However, don't think my compliments make you any less of a danger to us. I'll still need to further assess my thoughts about you during this trial." Athena proclaimed in serious, fairly strict tone. Her icy glare did not faulter at all, somehow becoming even frostier by the second.

"That's understandable. This trial thing hasn't started just yet, so take as much time to think stuff over as you need." Goku considerately recommended. Though a bit miffed by Goku's lack of nervousness, Athena's expression momentarily softened at the kindness said Saiyan still managed to share with her.

"I plan to do just that, Goku." Athena murmured. She pursed her red lips, patiently thinking over the pros and cons Goku may bring to this entire universe. He's saved his own world time and time again, so would his presence end up resulting in similar effects? She supposed her father's final verdict would be the judge of that. That is, if Zeus managed to successfully control his temper and pride.

Artemis observed her fellow virgin goddess in growing ire. Given their similar personalities, the moon goddess feared that Athena would somehow make a lapse of judgement like she did at Camp Half-Blood. Athena has seen far more of Goku's exploits and personality than she has, however, so it was difficult to say for certain.

"_I assumed Athena would view Goku's arrival that way. Being a war-based goddess like myself, she's not the type to take considerable risks. And Goku, sadly, is the biggest risk of them all." _Artemis connected Athena's opinions on Goku to her own. Despite Goku not being her favorite person at the moment, she would still attempt to make sure that he was fairly treated and given the proper opportunity to defend himself. He deserved that much.

"Name's Hephaestus. And, I have to say, I'm fairly impressed, Son Goku." Hephaestus gruffly proclaimed.

"Impressed by what? My power again?" Goku asked the bearded inventor.

"Well, there's that, of course, but no. I'm impressed by the fact that you haven't followed up on my cheating bimbo of a wife's not-too-subtle advances. That's definitely a first for her. Bahahaha!" Hephaestus guffawed mockingly. Some traces of resentful bitterness could be heard as well.

"Grrggh! You malformed freak!" Aphrodite growled temperately. Goku raised a hand in front of Aphrodite's throne, giving her the signal to stop yelling.

"Stop, Aphrodite. He's only joking around." Goku soothed Aphrodite's current frustration.

"But he—" At the sight of Goku's smiling face, her tentative interjection came to a sudden halt. Aphrodite's cheeks lightly flushed, causing her to lightly smile in return.

"Alright, Goku. I'll stay calm." Aphrodite promised in a low whisper. Seeing how fast Goku was able to calm Aphrodite down, Hephaestus jerked a thumb at her.

"See? As much as I used to love her, I could never even dream of doing that. She obviously has a big thing for you." Hephaestus humorously told Goku. "Isn't that right, _honey_?"

"Oh pipe down! It's not like I hid it all that much to begin with…" Aphrodite muttered whilst puffing up her cheeks in embarrassment. Even Hephaestus had to admit Aphrodite was cute when she did that.

Goku sighed, tousling clumps of his black hair in bewilderment. Having another woman be attracted to him so fast just wasn't something the poor Saiyan wanted to deal with right now. Especially considering the fact that Aphrodite, for all intents and purposes, was his interdimensional stalker.

"Look, guys. I know Aphrodite likes me. With her being the goddess of love and all, even I'm smart enough to recognize that." Goku admitted that he wasn't completely oblivious. He still knew jack all about romance or women in general, but being with Chi-Chi for so many years helped him become more…aware of certain social cues. Being longtime friends with Bulma didn't hurt either.

"Ha. That's news to me…" Apollo quipped amusedly. Being seated right next to one another, Aphrodite and Artemis both glared at the sun god with equal contempt.

"What?" Apollo asked. For the life of him, he couldn't tell what was wrong with what he just said.

"I just don't see an interest in pursuing "love" or whatever that even is right now." Goku shared to each of the Olympians, including Aphrodite. She, while feeling saddened by it, sort of knew this fact to be true. However, that wouldn't stop the love goddess from changing Goku's feelings toward her. It was only a matter of time until Goku learned to let go of Chi-Chi and officially moved on.

"I mean…it's not like I didn't notice before. I just didn't really see any reason to go through with mushy stuff like that. We haven't even known each other for a day, you know?" Goku elaborated on his lack of awareness towards Aphrodite's affection. He simply wasn't in the right state of mind earlier that day.

"But, regardless of that, I still see her as a friend of mine. Without her and that weird elevator, I wouldn't have gotten out of this funk over…" Goku trailed off, still struggling to share the circumstances behind Chi-Chi's death.

"Over what?" Hephaestus questioned.

"Over my wife's passing. She died a few weeks ago now." Goku murmured sorrowfully. Aside from Aphrodite, Artemis, and Hestia, the others Olympians suddenly grew speechless at this reveal. They didn't see that one coming.

"Oh…" Hephaestus whispered, scratching the back of his head in discomfort.

"How did this happen? If you don't mind me asking, that is." Demeter asked in what could best be interpreted as sympathy.

"The doctor said it was from a hereditary disease or something. I wasn't sure what that word meant at the time, but apparently it had something to do with her family. I guess her mom died from the same illness many years ago." Goku recalled the origins of Chi-Chi's illness. Her mother passed away when she was just a little girl, so it must have taken awhile for Chi-Chi to fully contract it. Strangely enough, Ox-King showed no signs of this strange virus, indicating that it originally came from her mother's side of the family, after all.

"By the time we got to the hospital, Chi-Chi was already out of commission and losing blood fast. There wasn't enough time to do proper treatment on her, so all I could do was say goodbye before…before…" Goku began to choke up, holding back tears with much difficulty. Doing that in front of the Olympians wasn't exactly ideal for him.

"…she was gone." Goku continued, staring down at the ground in sadness.

"But, didn't you have the Earth and Namekian Dragon Balls to fall back on? Why couldn't you just resurrect her and be done with it?" Hermes wondered in confusion. Goku tightly clenched his fists, glancing at the messenger god with further glumness.

"Not sure how much you've seen of my past…um…Hermes, right?" Goku curiously recognized.

"Yup. That's me. I'm the messenger god around these parts. I also specialize in trade, thievery, athletes, and other active, social stuff, but that's beside the point." Hermes responded informingly. Goku gave him a light nod in understanding.

"Right. As I was saying, I'm not sure how much you've seen of my past experiences, Hermes, but both Dragon Balls have set limitations to them. One such limitation is not being able to revive someone who dies of natural causes, including diseases. That's why Future Trunks brought the Heart Virus' antidote from his timeline So I wouldn't permanently die from it." Goku explained the Dragon Balls' inability to revive certain people. Hermes frowned, realizing the implications behind this factor.

"So, what you're saying is that Chi-Chi…"

"Yeah. She's gone for good. No wish from the Dragon Balls can fix that this time around." Goku depressively whispered. He grimaced, emitting traces of white ki from his entire body.

"N-No matter how strong I got; I still couldn't protect her…" Goku seethed in considerable regret. "I'm sorry, Chi-Chi."

Hera was absolutely dumbfounded. For the life of her, she couldn't even begin to understand how Goku was this depressed over Chi-Chi's recent demise. Wasn't this the same man that neglected her wishes in favor of growing stronger? It honestly didn't fit with the negative image of Son Goku she wished to depict him as.

"_H-He's that affected by his wife's death? Him?! That man who didn't even know what marriage was as a child?!" _Hera stammered in shock. She gripped the sides of her head, trying to ponder what this revelation could mean for the trial going forward.

"_This…this changes things. If Son Goku actually cared for his wife like any other husband, would I even be in the right for punishing him?" _Hera thought, fearing that her status as the marriage goddess would be deemed quite hypocritical. She strongly gripped each armrest, crumbling the adamantine material into smaller, dent-filled pieces.

"_No! I can't think like this! Swift justice must be brought for Ares' humiliation! Even if Goku was quite faithful to his wife, that doesn't excuse his absence in those Gohan and Goten boys' lives." _Hera growled with reinforced conviction. Even though Ares could be a pain to have as her son, anyone who dared make a mockery of his pride would dearly pay, including someone "righteous" like Son Goku. In fact, Goku's apparent goodness only made Hera dislike him even more.

"_But, then again, are Zeus and the others any better with their demigod bastards?" "Damnit…I shouldn't be thinking this way!" _Hera sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose in anger. _"I'm the queen of Olympus! What happens with Son Goku should mean absolutely nothing to me."_

Next to her, Zeus glared at Goku's spout of sadness in complete disinterest. While knowing what it felt like to lose a lover, the sky god simply didn't feel any remorse for Goku's dilemma. He found the sight of such a powerful warrior moping around quite pathetic, actually.

"That's enough, Son Goku. Compose yourself." Zeus ordered with misplaced authority. Goku, recognizing Zeus' royal status just this once, took a deep breath and rubbed some moisture away from his eyes.

"Right. Sorry about that." Goku apologized, bowing down as short sign of respect. Instigating a fight then and there was not wise, considering that Zeus was already one step away to revealing his own Divine Form. Such an image honestly intrigued Goku to no end, but he didn't show it outright.

"Ugh. Don't you have a heart, Zeus?!" Aphrodite hissed in aggravation. Zeus narrowed his eyes in irritation, projecting blue electricity from both pupils once more.

"This is a council meeting, not a pity party! I personally don't care about the fate of Goku's wife. All I care about is maintaining the stability of our reign as gods." Zeus fumed in brutal honesty. Thunderbolts shooting out of his throne in varying directions, Zeus angrily pointed toward Goku's position.

"And this man right here serves as a potential hindrance to that!" Zeus reminded everyone in the room. Whistling at the emergence of Zeus' lightning, Goku calmly remained silent. The other Olympians did so as well.

"Now, Apollo. Give the final introduction to Goku and we'll get on with this trial." Zeus commanded his son.

"Will do, dad." Apollo nodded before lazily waving to the Saiyan. "Sup, Goku? As you've probably guessed, I'm Apollo, god of the sun, healing, light, poetry, reason, prophecy, blah, blah, blah. All the awesome stuff, basically."

After smugly showing off, Apollo leaned over from his throne to wrap an arm around Artemis. The moon goddess was obviously not happy with this non-consensual show of affection.

"And if it's not obvious enough already, I'm Arty's big bro!" Apollo sniggered happily.

"Twin brother, Apollo. How many times do I have to tell you that?" Artemis groaned, rolling her eyes at Apollo's ever-obnoxious nature. She roughly tugged on Apollo's hand in order to be freed from his firm hold.

"Aww don't be like that. You're still my baby sister at heart! Hahaha." Apollo laughed, patting Artemis' shoulder in amusement. Artemis piercingly glared at Apollo with her luminescent, silver eyes.

"Grrgh. Get your hands off me!" Artemis said, smacking her brother's hand with excessive force. "Don't make me and the Hunters use you as target practice again!"

"Oh please. I can shoot circles around you girls." Apollo snorted doubtfully. He wriggled his eyebrows at Artemis, adoring the moments where he could elicit anger in the typically composed huntress.

"Ahem." Zeus loudly coughed. Artemis suddenly froze, replacing her irritation with calm composure.

"Sorry, father. I don't know what came over me." Artemis said, successfully parting herself from Apollo's throne.

"Heh. No regrets." snickered the sun god. Goku found this argument between both siblings a bit funny, all things considered.

"Do you guys fight like that all the time, Artemis?" Goku asked in curiosity.

"Only when he annoys me." Artemis admitted with a grimace. "Which is sadly, quite often."

"Psh. Whatever. You still love me, sis." Apollo passively uttered.

"Love is a strong word. Aphrodite should know all about that." Artemis replied in a belligerent grumble.

"At least, I can experience love." Aphrodite mocked, upturning her nose in offense. Artemis furrowed her eyebrows, feeling quite bothered by the love goddess' ridiculous statement about love.

"Care to repeat that?" Artemis threatened in the form of a question.

"A-HEM!" Zeus coughed even louder. He darted his eyes from one goddess to the other, waiting for them to stop their senseless argument.

"Now…with that out of the way, let's begin." Zeus finally announced. Without further ado, he crossed both arms in a stern pose.

"If you may, Hestia." Zeus requested with a wave of his hand. Hestia, still standing next to her Hearth, went along with Zeus' signal.

"Already on it." Hestia stated. Utilizing her mastery of pyrokinesis, Hestia absorbed traces of flame from the Hearth. She then used the fire like paint, tracing a large diagram in mid-air. This diagram was separated into two sides that each had one orange-red tick mark.

"So, here's the scoreboard I guess. Being the eldest Olympian here, I'll serve as a tiebreaker of sorts. The current score is 1 for keeping Goku around and 1 for "eliminating" and/or trapping him somewhere. Both of which are from Dionysus, of course." Hestia explained the purpose for forming this diagram. She placed it right next to her side, making the process of vote tallying much easier.

"Wait. Isn't there someone missing here?" Goku wondered, scanning the entire Hall of the Gods for another, yet-to-be-seen god.

"Yes, Dionysus. We've already established that he's a lazy, good-for-nothing drunk." Hera grimaced in disappointment.

"Well, he only drinks Diet Coke now." Demeter pointed out. Dionysus' drunken tirades were all, but a thing of the past at this point. She'd honestly want to keep it that way for Camp Half-Blood and the entirety of Olympus' sake.

"Drunk on wine, drunk on caffeinated beverages, the point still stands either way." Hera gruffly rebutted. Goku shook his head, denying Dionysus as the obvious answer to his question.

"No. Not him. There's someone else that you guys didn't mention." Goku reminded the Olympians. "Where's Hades?"

Each god and goddess suddenly grew uncomfortable with this question. It wasn't everyday someone bothered to care about Hades' involvement in things, especially a mortal man like Goku.

"Hades doesn't have a throne on Olympus like we do." Zeus groaned informingly. "His resides in the Underworld, the domain he rules over."

"Isn't that kind of unfair, though? Shouldn't he have a say in what goes on here?" Goku asked, wondering why such a powerful god wasn't informed of this trial.

"That's not how it works here, Goku. While Hades may be equal in strength to Zeus and I, he doesn't have a place on Olympus for…erm…let's just say "personal" reasons." Poseidon nervously acknowledged. He scratched the back of his head, trying to think of a better excuse for why Hades wasn't considered Olympian material.

"Tsk. Serves that creep right for stealing my angel of a daughter from me!" Demeter hissed in resentment. Even thousands of years later, the harvest goddess still wasn't over Persephone's forced marriage.

"For Olympus' sake, Demeter. Just let it go! That happened thousands of years ago." Hermes proclaimed in annoyance. "Persephone's perfectly happy with Hades, so let them be."

"Excuse me if I'm not alright with their so-called "marriage". Eating that pomegranate was the worst mistake of her life!" Demeter wailed sorrowfully as fresh tears began to build. "Now, look where she is! My beautiful little girl wasting away in that fiery hellhole Hades calls home."

"To be fair, Hades didn't really ask to live there. He kind of got the short end of the stick." Apollo expressed in minor sympathy. Due to how depressing of a place the Underworld could truly be, he understood why Hades would grab an absolute bombshell like Persephone for himself.

"So what? That still doesn't change the fact that he kidnapped her. Is a mother being concerned over her child's wellbeing so wrong?!" Demeter inquired, throwing her hands up in outrage.

"No, Demeter." Hera said, turning her head to glare at Goku. "It isn't."

"_Geez. Reminds me of the looks Chi-Chi used to give me when I got home from training super late." _Goku gulped, shivering at the mere recollection of Chi-Chi's wrath. During the times he accidentally skipped out on their dates, her fury was always at an all-time high.

"Will everyone just shut up about Hades already?! Gods." Zeus roared in outward hostility. He ground his teeth and burned figurative holes into Goku's head.

"All you need to know about Hades, Son Goku, is that he has his own duties to attend to. I rule Olympus, Poseidon rules Atlantis, and Hades rules the Underworld. End of story." Zeus abruptly dismissed any consideration of Hades' thoughts.

"Okay, okay. Forget I asked then." Goku took the hint, waving his hands down in order to calm Zeus' temper.

"Besides, Hades has a place on Olympus during more dire situations. This one just wasn't important enough." Zeus informed, pointing to a heavily broken down chair made of stone. Goku suddenly realized why Hades didn't want to come here.

"Or…you just didn't want to speak with him." Poseidon muttered offhandedly.

"Like your any different, Poseidon." Zeus grunted back, not even bothering to look Poseidon in the eye.

"Point taken." Poseidon said. Zeus then hummed to himself, stroking his beard in thought.

"Where was I?" Zeus pondered for a moment or two. "Ah right. Though we've already discussed it somewhat, we should probably address the elephant in the room."

Goku, not understanding Zeus' term of phrase, absentmindedly looked around the entire Hall for this "elephant" in question.

"What elephant? I don't see one anywhere." Goku asked in obliviousness. Hearing this, Artemis roughly facepalmed herself with a firm smack.

"…_he has to be mocking me." _Zeus thought. His eye began to twitch at Goku's most recent display of stupidity.

"It's a figure of speech, Goku." Athena informed.

"Ohhhhh…" Goku nodded with an obvious look of confusion. "I don't get it."

"How can one be so dense?! He referring to Ares' death, you imbecile!" Hera screamed in highly exaggerated anger.

"Oh. That." Goku remembered with a slightly downcast expression. "I'm still confused by what the big deal is."

"Explain yourself, Goku." Zeus ordered fiercely.

"While I'm confused by this "scattering" stuff Artemis told me about, it shows that Ares isn't really dead. I may have beaten him up quite a bit, but after a few months or so, he should be fully reformed. Am I right?" Goku logically assumed that Ares' fate shouldn't need to be avenged. This made Hera's livid reaction all the more baffling.

"That is how we function, yes. But, neither of us have really experienced scattering firsthand. For all we know, it could take many years before Ares is back to normal." Athena replied in uncertainty.

"That's why your fight with Ares is so rife for concern. Even if he was an overly hostile idiot like usual, defeating Ares without much effort must be put into question." Athena defended her and the other Olympians' course of action.

"I understand that, but…not putting much effort into our fight would be an understatement, Athena." Goku regretted to inform. The goddess of wisdom quirked a brow, curious to know what Goku meant by this.

"An understatement? In what way?" Athena asked.

"Don't get me wrong. Ares was far from being a joke in terms of power. Years ago, his Divine Form definitely would have given me a run for my money strength wise. But, if I really wanted to, I could have beaten with just the Kaioken." Goku acknowledged Ares' most notable strengths and above all, weaknesses. "The use of my Full Power Super Saiyan form was only to make it more interesting."

"It shouldn't be surprising, though. You've seen what Majin Buu was capable of. He was destroying planet after planet in mere seconds. Could any of you pull off stuff like that?" Goku asked, thinking that the gods were not yet up to par with Perfect Cell and Majin Buu, even considering their unseen Divine Forms.

"What kind of blasphemous drivel are you—" Zeus outstretched an arm in front of Hera's face, stopping her rant before it could even begin.

"No. He's somewhat correct in his assumption." Zeus reluctantly agreed with Goku's logic. "Us Olympians, including myself, can create and destroy planets if we really wanted to. Our Divine Forms exponentially increase our power and might enough to do so."

"However, such feats take a ton of divine energy out of us. Destroying worlds as fast and efficiently as Buu is simply not feasible at the moment. There are, however, deities from this same universe who can." Zeus gravely unveiled. In a universe inhabited by many mythological pantheons, the extent of power and influence was quite skewed.

"Really? There are?" Goku asked in a mix of interest and excitement. Maybe there would stronger opponents to fight here, after all.

Zeus gazed up into the heavens above, contemplatively thinking over the entire universe's collective of powerful deities, himself included.

"Yes. The cosmos is vast and nearly endless in terms of divine jurisdiction. Among them, there are the Titans, and our distant ancestors, the Protogenoi, primordial entities who have existed since the dawn of time itself. Since Chaos' own birth billions of years ago, to be more specific." Zeus explained how the Titans and Primordial Gods could rival each Olympian in terms of sheer power.

"_Chaos? Sounds pretty dangerous." _Goku wondered, narrowing his eyes intriguingly.

"Woah. I never thought this universe could be so massive." Goku whistled in reactionary awe. "It makes things a lot more exciting, honestly."

"Don't be too excited, Son Goku. There's so much you have yet to understand here, including our own enemies." Zeus lectured in a serious, no-nonsense tone.

"Oh right. You're talking about that current…erm…"war" with the Titans and Kronos, right?" Goku questioned in discomfort. War wasn't something he was particularly used to. Unless his confrontations with the Red Ribbon Army when he was younger counted as such.

"Like it or not, my father, Kronos, is slowly reforming. Monsters, demigods, and loyal Titans alike have all banded together to reclaim his right to rule. That is why your triumph over Ares couldn't have come at a worse time." Zeus divulged his skepticism over Goku's arrival. He may have done good in the past, but that was for his own world, not theirs. What reason would Goku have for fighting alongside them?

"Save your breath, Zeus. Given his small brain, he's just a walking puppet waiting to be controlled by Kronos. Or, should I say, a weapon." Hera spitefully denounced the option of trusting Goku.

"Eh. I don't know about that one, Hera. That Vegeta guy resisted Babidi's mind control pretty fast." Apollo reminded her. It appeared that Saiyans, particularly strong ones, had the power to resist brainwashing after sometime.

"Yeah. After he killed hundreds of innocent mortals in cold blood." Hera stated with little change in her viewpoint. Despite being a much better husband, this Vegeta person was even worse than Goku. Gods knew what would happen if he showed up instead.

"Well said, Mom. If you ask me, Bulma deserves far better than a ticking time bomb like him." Hephaestus grumbled enviously. He wished that he could have married someone like her instead of Aphrodite. To him, brains were far more appealing than simple beauty.

"You're only saying that cause you got the hots for her." Apollo laughed. Hephaestus scowled at the sun god in fiery anger.

"I do not! I'm just…interested in her genius-level intellect." Hephaestus claimed defensively. "I'm still a married man, after all."

"Hopefully, not for long…" Aphrodite grumbled. If she weren't married already, her chances with Goku would skyrocket without question. Goku, being married to one woman all his life, would never be alright with her adulterous tendencies. It's something she somewhat admired about him in a way.

"What was that?" Hephaestus asked, mockingly placing a hand over his ear.

"I know it may seem hard to believe, but you guys have nothing to worry about. I won't try to mess with Olympus." Goku kindly assured the group of gods and goddesses.

"How can we know that for certain?" Hera scoffed in further doubt.

"You've seen most, if not all, of my previous battles, Hera. During any of those fights, did I ever do something wrong or morally questionable?" Goku asked. Hera caught her breath, feeling uncertain of how to properly answer Goku's question.

"Throughout the years, all I've ever done is fight to protect my friends and innocent people. When my brother, Raditz, asked me to kill people in exchange for Gohan's safety, did I do it? No. I sacrificed my life, so Piccolo could use his Special Beam Cannon. From him to King Piccolo to Majin Buu, I always seem to battle against those who are considered evil or have done bad things in the past. This includes Vegeta too." Goku explained his most important reason for fighting and growing stronger.

"I know I'm not perfect. I've made some very big mistakes in the past. Making Gohan fight Cell in my place was one of them. That's where the Saiyan side of my mind couldn't help, but appear at times. Sometimes I just can't control it during my most exciting battles." Goku expressed his biggest regrets, attributing each one to Saiyan mentality and overall selfishness.

"However, even when I'm overcome by the instinct to have a good fight above all else, I still don't want anyone else harmed in the crossfire. That's why I went out of my way to deflect Ares' attacks away from your kids at Camp Half-Blood. If it weren't for me, they would have been killed by him without remorse. That was how dangerous Ares became in our fight." Goku frowned, remembering Ares' lack of consideration for his kids and others. Hera grimaced in sudden understanding.

"I see. It appears that Ares' bloodlust ended up being his own downfall, not you." Hera finally began to see reason and understand Artemis' points. That didn't stop her from continuing to despise Goku, however.

"Yeah. I think so." Goku agreed with a nod of his head. "I'm glad Artemis' hunters and demigods ended being alright in the end. From what I've seen, they all have a lot of potential to grow stronger. Maybe someday, they might even be stronger than you."

"_A lot of potential in them, hm? Interesting." _Zeus wondered. Considering this factor, a sudden idea began to take form within Zeus' mind.

"That kinda came out wrong. Hehe." Goku nervously chuckled. In hindsight, saying that half-bloods could match literal gods in power was not wise.

"Don't apologize for your comments, Goku. Thank you for protecting my children." Demeter said in genuine gratitude.

"Aw. Don't mention it, Demeter. The campers all reminded me of my own sons, so it was only the right thing to do." Goku shrugged happily.

"Your argument seems…surprisingly reasonable, Goku. I suppose you could be considered a hero in your own right, so such reckless hostility was…erg…"wrong" on my behalf." Zeus reluctantly apologized for his foolish actions. The other Olympians gasped, not expecting Zeus to admit that he was "wrong" about something.

"Well, calling me a hero wouldn't be correct either. I'm just a martial artist who wants to maintain peace the best I can. That's all." Goku denounced his identity as a hero. If anything, protector was probably a bit word to describe him.

"Fair enough. Let's get to the voting then, shall we?" Zeus announced in relief. Hopefully his splitting headache would go away after this was over. Then again, one outcome might end with Hera screaming like a banshee, so maybe not.

"As always, you may provide an explanation for your vote, but it's not required. Now then…" Zeus cleared his throat, signaling for Hestia to begin tallying stuff down.

"Be prepared to mark these down, Hestia." Zeus said. Hestia positioned the board in front of her, giving Zeus an affirmative thumbs up.

"I've got you covered, Zeus. Carry on." Hestia gave Zeus the go ahead to move on.

"_Welp, guess this is it." _Goku anxiously sighed._ "Wonder what I should do after this is over…"_

"All in favor of banishing Goku to Tartarus?" Zeus boomed, raising a hand up. Hera, Demeter, Hephaestus, and surprisingly Athena all responded with their own hands. This might have been the only instance where Hephaestus partially agreed with his mother.

"I apologize for this, Goku, but there are too many risks involved with your stay here. As shown with Cell, you seem to be a magnet for opponents of extreme power and hostility. Who's to say our own universe won't be any different?" Athena explained her decision to vote against Goku's stay. The Saiyans, Frieza, and Cell were all tied with Goku's past in some way, so what if another villain of the same caliber and magnitude came to battle him? The entirety of Olympus and Earth itself would be levelled beyond belief.

"There's no offense taken, Athena. A few hours ago, some hydra was attracted to my power, so I can see where you're coming from." Goku understood Athena's viewpoint.

"Right. I hope there's no will if this sentencing doesn't end up in your favor." Athena noted in momentary regret. Her storm gray eyes lost some of their coldness for a few moments.

"There won't be. I'm usually not one to hold grudges." Goku responded in all honesty. Athena nodded, accepting Goku's promise to remain neutral and composed.

"_Goku's being is such an anomaly. He's a determined, fierce individual in combat, yet so kind and…well, unintelligent outside of it. It makes me curious to know how his mind functions…" _Athena expressed her fascination with Goku's mindset and personality. It was almost as if he had a split-personality during times of need.

"No offense, Goku, but there's just too many hurdles to my marriage as is. Hope you get where I'm coming from." Hephaestus grunted with no sort of ill will.

"Again, understandable. Losing a wife can be hard at times." Goku stated empathetically.

"Well said." Hephaestus nodded with a small smirk.

"_But, Goku…I didn't even agree to marry him. Can't you realize that…for me?" _Aphrodite thought, longingly reaching out for Goku's awareness of her feelings.

"My vote comes from maintaining this planet's natural stability. Your power just doesn't seem safe for all of its plant life out there." Demeter proclaimed, fearing that a stray energy blast could destroy the entire planet in seconds.

"Hmph. I have nothing more to say, mortal." Hera huffed, indignantly turning away from Goku. With that portion of the voting over with. Afterwards, Hestia drew four additional tick marks with her fire.

"That's 5 vote for "banishing" Goku then. I honestly thought there would be more, but oh well." Hestia calmly read off of the scoreboard.

"Stop putting quotes air-quotes on banishing, Hestia!" Hera yelled, slamming a fist on her armrest. Given the time they spent together at Camp Half-Blood, she had a feeling Hestia would be biased toward Goku.

"No need to bite my head off, Hera. I'm just keeping Goku's strength in mind." Hestia defended herself in amusement. The hearth goddess repositioned the diagram, nodding her head as a sign for Zeus to continue.

"All in favor for having Goku stay here until he finds a proper way back to his own universe?" Zeus uttered powerfully. With that, Aphrodite, Poseidon, Hermes, Apollo, and after a few moments of thought, Artemis collectively raised their hands.

"Wait a minute. Aphrodite's vote shouldn't even count! She caused all of this to begin with!" Hera argued, accusatively pointing at the love goddess.

"That's bull crap! I'm an Olympian too, so my vote should count regardless!" Aphrodite lashed out against Hera's faulty point.

"True, but shouldn't Ares' count too? Given his humiliating defeat, I'd say he would definitely want to vote against Goku staying." Hephaestus said, figuring that Ares, wherever he was, would be royally pissed off by now.

"Fine. To make this easier, let's put Aphrodite as "for" and Ares as "against". Does that make everyone satisfied?" Zeus asked impatiently.

"Yes." Hera replied with a smug smirk of victory.

"No! That's so unfair." Aphrodite cried out.

"Just get over it, Aphrodite. It's not as if the results will be made any different." Artemis sighed, trying to maintain the trial's progression without any more interruptions. Aphrodite's incessant complaining was not something she wanted to hear right now.

"Well, by counting Ares' vote, it's a straight tie for 6 and 6. So, that leaves your final verdict, Zeus." Hestia shared the current results for both sides.

"Shouldn't you be able to vote too, Hestia?" Goku asked, wondering why Hestia and Hades were both left out.

"Like I've already said, Goku, I usually calm everyone down when arguments become too overblown here. But, if I did vote, there's no question I'd want to support you." Hestia explained her typical role as an Olympian. She then brightly smiled at Goku with a twinkle in her orange eyes.

"So, you are biased. Figures." Hera groaned.

"I didn't deny it." Hestia reminded the Olympian queen with a neutral expression.

Zeus, thinking over Goku's strength and interest in Camp Half-Blood, came to a sudden realization about his potential use in the war. In the end, he was far more beneficial as an ally than enemy, especially based on what happened with Ares earlier. Swallowing his pride for just this once, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Can't believe I'm saying this, but…" Zeus sighed, wiping a hand over his entire face in exhaustion.

"…you can stay here, Goku. I'll ultimately allow it." Zeus decided Goku's final sentencing. Hera's looked like it was on the cusp of blowing to smithereens.

"WHAT?!" Hera screamed ferociously. Purple energy exploded from every end of her throne and eyes, much to Goku's shock.

"Let me finish. I'll allow it on one condition." Zeus continued, raising his voice to drown out Hera's anger.

"A condition? What kind?" Goku asked.

"Since you've spent a lot of time at Camp Half-Blood, I'm requesting that you become a counselor alongside Chiron and Dionysus. That way, you can help our demigod children become stronger and better prepared for the inevitable war with Kronos. Sound like a fair compromise?" Zeus shared his unique, yet extremely bizarre "punishment" for Goku. Even Artemis didn't expect Zeus to feel this way.

"_I didn't see this one coming. Zoë and the other girls definitely won't be pleased by it." _Artemis pondered in dismay. They already despised Camp Half-Blood to begin with, so who knows how they would react to Goku's new position.

"Huh. I guess it doesn't sound too bad." Goku agreed, figuring that getting a job like this would be what Chi-Chi would have wanted. "Is it okay if I ask for something in return?"

"I suppose you could. What is it exactly?" Zeus sourly inquired.

"Would it be okay if Hephaestus begins fixing the elevator to Mount Olympus? I think it can't travel to my and other dimensions like before. It sort of got busted from King Kai's car…um…crashing into it." Goku requested Hephaestus' assistance in fixing the elevator he came from.

"So, that's why there was a huge dent in it…" Zeus muttered in realization.

"Yeah. King Kai didn't press on the brakes in time. Sorry about that." Goku apologized, goofily scratching the back of his head.

"Hmm. What do you think, son?" Zeus questioned, darting his eyes toward the blacksmith deity.

"Eh. It shouldn't be that much of a hassle. It may take a few weeks to fully fix, though. I'll have to test out the kinks for dimensional travel, teleportation speed, etc." Hephaestus listed off all of the issues he'd need to test.

"That's alright. Take your time, Hephaestus." Goku said, giving him a grateful smile. Hephaestus nodded, clasping a hand on his prosthetic knee.

"Will do. In the meantime, do as Zeus says and you'll be alright for now." Hephaestus helpfully suggested to the Saiyan.

"I'll try my best." Goku remarked passively. After Hestia sent her fire back into the Hearth, Zeus tiredly looked at each Olympian.

"Any other objections? No? Good. This meeting is adjourned." Zeus formally dismissed everyone. He clasped his hands together, producing a loud clap of thunder that echoed around all of Olympus. The massive storm clouds surrounding the area completely dissolved, leaving a clear, night sky in its place.

"Oh and Aphrodite…" Zeus interjected, stopping the Olympians from officially departing to their temples.

"What is it, Zeus? You going to lock me in my temple again?" Aphrodite moodily asked. Being a love goddess, she obviously held more grudges than Goku did.

"Tsk. With that attitude, I'm considering it." Zeus snorted. "No. Due to all of the stuff you've inadvertently caused, you'll be joining Goku as a part-time counselor at Camp Half-Blood. Sort of like Dionysus' situation, but more restrictive."

"Wait. A-Are you serious?!" Aphrodite stammered in pleasant surprise. Subconsciously, she jumped in absolute delight.

"_Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! This is my golden opportunity!" _Aphrodite, thinking of this as the perfect moment to spend more time with Goku.

"Sort of. But, as further punishment, you'll be helping Hephaestus out with the elevator…in his forge." Zeus smirked deviously. Making Aphrodite suffer sort of helped calm his mind of things.

"_No, no, no, no, no! Damnit, Zeus! There's always a catch with him!" _Aphrodite cursed angrily. Being alone with Hephaestus and some disgusting Cyclopes was not something she had in mind.

"Do I have a choice in the matter?" Aphrodite asked with a false sense of hope.

"Nope." Zeus replied in a low chuckle. Aphrodite slumped her shoulders in severe defeat.

"Oh poop…" Aphrodite whined quietly. Hephaestus then leapt off of his throne, shrinking down, so he could lecherously smack Aphrodite in the butt.

"Consider this the honeymoon we never had, sweetheart. Hehehe." Hephaestus sniggered at the love goddess' expense. Aphrodite protectively placed both hands over her butt in anger.

"If you know what's good for you, don't ever touch me there again." Aphrodite hissed angrily. She then sported a perverted grin while looking at Goku.

"Only my Goku has the permission to do that." Aphrodite whispered lustfully. The thought of Goku pinching there honestly made her feel hot and bothered.

"Did you say my name, Aphrodite?" Goku asked in puzzlement.

"It's nothing. N-Nothing at all." Aphrodite stuttered in embarrassment. Zeus just rolled his eyes, having enough of all this yelling for tonight.

"Now, since it's late at night and Camp Half-Blood has already closed down, you can sleep over at Artemis' temple for now." Zeus stated, jerking a thumb toward the twelve temples scattered throughout Olympus.

"_Of course father would do something like that." _Artemis sighed, expecting Zeus to single her out amongst the other goddesses. She then reverted back to her original size, winter coat and all. Tying her orange locks back into a ponytail, Artemis motioned for Goku to follow her down the stairs.

"Very well then. Come along, Goku. I'll show you there." Artemis ordered, grabbing ahold of her bow and quiver as she walked onward. Goku nodded with an enthusiastic, yet slightly off-put grin on his face.

"Ok then." Goku complied with the moon goddess' instruction. As they prepared to make an exit, the other Olympians went back to their own temples as well. Athena, in particular, slowed her pace to observe Goku's form with ever-increasing interest.

"_I'll definitely be keeping an eye on you, Son Goku. Especially if you happen to come in contact with Annabeth sometime soon." _Athena pledged, wishing to see more of Goku's immense strength on full display. She then adjusted the position of her spear and called it a night.

"Have fun with that, Arty! Hehe." Apollo chuckled amusedly, sprinting away before Artemis could properly retaliate.

Aphrodite, narrowing her eyes, speedily ran next to Goku and Artemis' side. She mischievously beamed, leaning into the archer's ear as close as possible.

"Looks we're having a little slumber party then, huh?" Aphrodite whispered in an almost desperate, pleading tone. Artemis was not playing along with any of Aphrodite's games.

"I'm not letting you into my temple, Aphrodite. Goku needs rest after all that's happened." Artemis muttered back in irritation. Aphrodite huffed, placing both hands on her hips.

"What are you implying? I'd never take advantage of Goku like that." Aphrodite promised assuredly. Artemis, not believing anything the love goddess said, just deadpanned at her while continuing to walk.

"Don't give me that look!" Aphrodite growled irately. Goku looked from Aphrodite to Artemis, unsure of how to exactly calm them down.

"Stop, girls. There's no need to argue." Goku pleaded. After Hestia closely trailed after them, the Hall of the Gods was only occupied by Zeus, Hera, and Poseidon. Hera was a volcano just waiting to spontaneously erupt as she muttered ancient curse words under her breath.

"So, brother. During all of this, how do you think Goku's presence will affect the Great Prophecy?" Poseidon wondered in grave uncertainty. If the Great Prophecy already spelled doom for Olympus, how would Goku, someone far more dangerous and unpredictable, change that.

"It'll change without a doubt. Whether or not your brat will still be affected by it is hard to say for certain, though." Zeus grumbled, personally carling less if Percy Jackson lived or died. Him and Goku would be quite an annoying pair to deal with later on.

"With Goku around, I agree that the course of Percy's quest will definitely take a drastic turn. The question is how much." Poseidon thought in deep contemplation. "Maybe Thalia will come in contact with Goku as well."

Hearing the name of his once thought to be dead daughter was somewhat disheartening for the sky god. While her recent revival was nice to hear about, Zeus feared that Thalia's role in the prophecy would bring even further danger upon her. He only wished that he could have been a better father to her in the past.

"_Thalia…" _Zeus thought in remembrance. The king of Olympus sighed heavily, trying to take Thalia off of his mind for the time being.

"We can dwell on that later. For now, I have more important matters to address." Zeus grumbled. As he slowly turned toward Hera, said marriage goddess fully unleashed as much infuriation as she could muster. Her black hair stood on end, erupting with massive bursts of purple energy.

"ARE YOU A DAMN IDIOT?! HOW COULD YOU LET THAT MORON ROAM FREE AFTER—" Hera continuously yelled at Zeus for his idiocy and incompetence as a ruler. Zeus slumped downward in his seat, trying to drown out Hera's yelling frenzy.

"Ugh. This is going to be a long night." muttered Zeus. As he facepalmed, Poseidon parted from his throne with a look of sympathy. His wife, Amphitrite, could be the same way at times, especially when Percy was first born.

"Good luck." Poseidon bade his brother farewell. After Zeus weakly saluted him, the sea god walked away from the Hall of the Gods like everyone else. He then paused, spotting Goku, Artemis, Hestia, and strangely enough, Aphrodite all walking toward the moon goddess' temple. He squinted both sea green eyes in semi-fascination.

"_Percy and Goku meeting one another? Hmmm. I wonder if I should do something about this for his benefit." _Poseidon considered. Goku was a nice enough person, so maybe requesting him to keep an eye on Percy could work out.

"_I can wait until morning. Hopefully Amphitrite doesn't chew me out for staying over until then." _Poseidon ultimately decided, proceeding down the stairs toward his respective domain. From then on, the course of Goku's adventure in this new universe would drastically change. Goku, now being an indirect ally of the entire Greek pantheon, was about to experience a journey he's never once seen before.

* * *

***Wow. I can't believe this story was first posted a year ago already. That's really crazy to think about, honestly lol. I'm especially grateful for all the support you guys have given me during that time. 404 favorites and 486 follows is absolutely amazing, so I hope everyone continues to read this story as each chapter comes out. With that being said, how was Chapter 10 and the first story arc as a whole? There's some stuff I probably could have improved on, but in the end, I think it turned out pretty well. There weren't a lot of fights this time (it was mainly just Goku vs. Artemis, Goku vs. the Hydra, and Goku vs. Ares), but I think I included enough character interaction and plot development to make up for that. There was a lot of foreshadowing for the next arc in this chapter, especially lol. So, if you want to, leave a favorite, follow, and/or review to tell me what you think. The events of The Titan's Curse book will officially be taking place from Chapter 11 onwards, meaning more character development for Artemis, Zoe, and the other Hunters. I'm planning to have lots of fun writing that. By the end of next year, hopefully I'll be able to complete the second and possibly third story arcs at a much faster rate. I'll have to see based on my college and work schedules. **

**As for the poll, it seems like Hestia is on top now. Not sure if Athena will overtake her after this chapter, but who knows? I personally like Hestia and Artemis the most as of now. **


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